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Search results for: ENERGY CONSUMPTION
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Ladder-Based Synthesis and Design of Low-Frequency Buffer-Based CMOS Filters
PublicationBuffer-based CMOS filters are maximally simplified circuits containing as few transistors as possible. Their applications, among others, include nano to micro watt biomedical sensors that process physiological signals of frequencies from 0.01 Hz to about 3 kHz. The order of a buffer-based filter is not greater than two. Hence, to obtain higher-order filters, a cascade of second-order filters is constructed. In this paper, a more...
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Influence of the fragment size on the recycling process of thin-film modules based on CdTe
PublicationFor several years, the production of second generation cells (the so-called thin film), produced from amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride (CdTe) or copper indium (gallium) diselenide (CI(G)S), has been increasing. The total number of end-of-life panels by 2050 is expected to reach 9.57 million tonnes. They contain heavy metals that can be leached into the environment at the land field. The EU directive on waste electrical and...
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Urban Food Self-Production in the Perspective of Social Learning Theory: Empowering Self-Sustainability
PublicationUrban food production is becoming an increasingly significant topic in the context of climate change and food security. Conducting research on this subject is becoming an essential element of urban development, deepening knowledge regarding the benefits, challenges, and potential for the development of urban agriculture as an alternative form of food production. Responding to this need, this monograph presents the results of...
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Epidemiological study of Toxoplasma gondii infection among cattle in Northern Poland
PublicationToxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is a significant disease in livestock and humans. Because of medical and veterinary importance it is essential to study the prevalence of T. gondii infection among human and animals in various parts of the word. In this study, 4033 cattle from eight provinces of Northern Poland (belonging to 190 herds) were tested for IgG antibodies against T. gondii by an in-house ELISA technique based...
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The impact of slowly biodegradable organic compounds on the oxygen uptake rate in activated sludge systems
PublicationThe hydrolysis process of slowly biodegradable substrate (Xs) have impact on the efficiencies of nutrient removal in activated sludge systems. Measurement of OUR and corresponding COD is accepted as a very useful tool to reflect the consumption of biodegradable substrates. The influence of the readily biodegradable substrate (Ss) in biological wastewater treatment systems has been extensively investigated, but little is known about...
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The impact of slowly biodegradable organic compounds on the oxygen uptake rate in activated sludge systems
PublicationThe hydrolysis process of slowly biodegradable substrate (Xs) have impact on the efficiencies of nutrient removal in activated sludge systems. Measurement of OUR and corresponding COD is accepted as a very useful tool to reflect the consumption of biodegradable substrates. The influence of the readily biodegradable substrate (Ss) in biological wastewater treatment systems has been extensively investigated, but little is known about...
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The influence of plant protection by effective microorganisms on the content of bioactive phytochemicals in apples
PublicationThe phytochemicals of two apple cultivars (Yellow Transparent and Early Geneva) protected in two ways, conventionally with chemical pesticides or by effective microorganisms (EM), were compared. Two types of components were determined: lipids synthesised constitutively and generated via inducible pathways polyphenols along with antioxidant activity and profiles. The antioxidant activities assessed with ABTS, DPPH and Folin–Ciocalteu...
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Synthesis and characterisation of polyurethane elastomers with semi-products obtained from polyurethane recycling
PublicationIn this work polyurethane elastomers were synthesised by using different mixtures of a petrochemical and glycerolysate polyols and 4,4-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI). Glycerolysate polyol was produced from polyurethane foam decomposition using crude glycerine as a decomposition agent. The structure and thermal properties of obtained semi-product were similar to the polyol used in the synthesis of original foam. Glycerolysate...
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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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Detection of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Small Ruminants: Old Problems, and Current Solutions
PublicationToxoplasmosis is a parasitic zoonosis of veterinary importance, with implications for public health. Toxoplasma gondii infection causes abortion or congenital disease in small ruminants. Moreover, the consumption of infected meat, cured meat products, or unpasteurized milk and dairy products can facilitate zoonotic transmission. Serological studies conducted in various European countries have shown the high seroprevalence of specific...
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Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in meat - available techniques
PublicationToxoplasma gondii, which belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa, is an absolute intercellular parasite that infects a wide range of hosts, including warm-blooded animals and humans. An infection with this parasite causes toxoplasmosis, which in most cases remains latent. However, this disease is a major threat to immunocompromised people and pregnant women. In extreme cases, it can damage nervous system or case fatal abortion. Infected...
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Modulation of CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP1B1 expression by cabbage juices and indoles in human breast cell lines
PublicationEpidemiological studies have shown that consumption of cab- bage and sauerkraut is connected with significant reduction of breast cancer incidences. Estrogens are considered a major breast cancer risk factor and their metabolism by P450 enzymes substan- tially contributes to carcinogenic activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cabbage and sauerkraut juices of differ- ent origin on the expression profile...
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Modelling of sequencing batch reactor operating at various aeration modes
PublicationThe presented study involved designing a computer model of a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) at laboratory scale. The data pertaining to the technical aspects of the bioreactor and quality indicators of wastewater constituted the input for the employed simulation tool, i.e. GPS-X software package. The results of a simulation involving a 12-hour operation cycle are presented in this work; each cycle included 6 phases: filling, mixing,...
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Sonocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotic using zinc oxide nanostructures loaded on nano-cellulose from waste straw as nanosonocatalyst
PublicationThe aim of the present investigation was the combination of ZnO nanostructures with nano-cellulose (NC) for the efficient degradation of tetracycline (TC) antibiotic under ultrasonic irradiation. The removal efficiency of 12.8% was obtained by the sole use of ultrasound (US), while the removal efficiency increased up to 70% by the US/ZnO treatment process. Due to the integration of ZnO nanostructures with NC, the removal efficiency...
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Platelets in fetal growth restriction: role of reactive oxygen species, oxygen metabolism, and aggregation.
PublicationFetal growth restriction (FGR) is mainly caused by failure of the uteroplacental unit. Theexact pathogenesis remains unclear. The cause is thought to be related to abnormal platelet activation,which may...
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Mercury concentration in the sediments as a function of changing climate in coastal zone of Southern Baltic Sea – preliminary results
PublicationMercury, despite of its many uses in industry, is also highly toxic. It is highly neurotoxic, and because of the ability of mercury to penetrate placental barrier, in some countries ban on predatory fish consumption (the main route of mercury into human organism) by pregnant women was introduced. There are very little publications describing the consequences of weather anomalies on contaminants cycles. No research was published...
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Evaluation of respiration capacity of VF in hybrid constructed wetland systems.
PublicationThree VF-beds operating in hybrid constructed wetlands in configuration HF-VF-HF were analysed. These hybrid constructed wetlands provide the II stage biological treatment. They are located in Pommerania voivodship, in Sarbsk, Wiklino and Wieszyno, and their capacities are 29.5, 14.2 and 21.6 m3/d, respectively. The article focuses on performance and operation of VF-CW plants during one year. Based on removal of organic matter...
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Nitrogen transformations and mass balances in anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic batch experiments with full-scale biomasses from BNR activated sludge systems.
PublicationThe aim of this study was to investigate nitrogen mass balances occurring inside full-scale BNR activated sludge systems, with special attention to colloidal and dissolved organic nitrogen (CON and DON) transformations. For this purpose, laboratory experiments were carried out using process biomass from two large BNR plants in northern Poland. Two parallel batch reactors were operated in a 3-phase (anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic) cycle....
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Nitrogen transformations and mass balances in anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic batch experiments with full-scale biomasses from BNR activated sludge systems.
PublicationThe aim of this study was to investigate nitrogen mass balances occurring inside full-scale BNR activated sludge systems, with special attention to colloidal and dissolved organic nitrogen (CON and DON) transformations. For this purpose, laboratory experiments were carried out using process biomass from two large BNR plants in northern Poland. Two parallel batch reactors were operated in a 3-phase (anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic) cycle....
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Hardware realization of shadow detection algorithm in FPGA
PublicationW referacie opisano problem detekcji cieni w sekwencjach wideo. Na podstawie metod znanych z literatury opracowano algorytm detekcji cieni, działający w czasie rzeczywistym i przeznaczony do realizacji sprzętowej w układzie FPGA. Algorytmy zostały przetestowane i porównane w środowisku MATLAB. Za pomocą języka VHDL zrealizowano system detekcji cieni wykorzystujący opracowany algorytm i zaimplementowano go w układzie Virtex-4. Został...
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Diagnostic system of wheeled tractors detecting four defect's categories
PublicationIn a classical approach to damage diagnosis, the technical condition of an analyzed machine is identified based on the measured symptoms, such as performance, thermal state or vibration parameters. In wheeled tractor the fundamental importance has monitoring and diagnostics during exploitation concerning technical inspection and fault element localizations. The main functions of a diagnostic system are: monitoring tractor components...
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Sustainable Management of Food Wastes Through Cavitation-Assisted Conversion into Value-Added Products
PublicationMore than 30% of worldwide food consumption is thrown out as food wastes causing serious environmental, economic, and social problems. Therefore, it is required to develop sustainable food waste management methods leading to an enhancement in social and economic benefits and mitigation of environmental impacts. Anaerobic digestion can be regarded as one of those effective methods that can be employed for the conversion of food...
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Analysis of bisphenols and their derivatives in infant and toddler ready-to-feed milk and powdered milk by LC MS/MS
PublicationReady-to-feed milk and powdered milk packed in different types of packaging lined with resin are chosen as the primary or complementary diet for infants and toddlers. An HPLC–MS/MS method was established and validated for the determination of nineteen bisphenols and their derivatives in such samples. The recoveries were from 31% to 120%, while the values of limit of detection and quantification were in the range of 0.24–0.40 and...
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Vascular stents - materials and manufacturing technologies
PublicationThe objective of this article is to present materials and technology for the manufacture of vascular stents with appropriate design requirements. The use of the right material is very important in implantology. A biomaterial introduced into the circulatory system must be biocompatible and hemocompatible. At the same time, it should not initiate toxic, mutagenic, or immunological reactions. Currently, 316L stainless steel (316L...
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The effect of using jug-type water filters on selected metals concentration in tap water – a case study
PublicationIn this study, the effect of the filtration process on Na, K, Mg, Ca, Fe and Zn concentration in water, using filters from one of the leading European manufacturers, was investigated. The increase in Na (up to 300%) and K concentration (up to 320%) at the beginning of jug filter usage was reported. A decrease in Ca, Fe and Zn concentration was observed. Standard filters remove 80–90% of Mg from tap water at the beginning of the...
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The effect of numerical 2D and 3D FEM element modelling on strain and stress distributions at laser weld notches in steel sandwich type panels
PublicationLike other means of transport, merchant ships face the problem of increasing requirements concerning the environment protection, which, among other issues, implies the reduction of fuel consumption by the ship. Here, the conventional approach which consists in making use of higher strength steels to decrease the mass of the ship hull can be complemented by the use of new steel structures of sandwich panel type. However, the lack...
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Molecularly imprinted polymers applied in capillary electrochromatography and electrophoresis techniques
PublicationMolecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic materials with predetermined selectivity for a particular analyte or group of structure-linked chemicals which make them an ideal separation component. The process of developing and applying new types of MIPs in the field of environmental analytical chemistry has been broadly discussedi n many scientific studies in recent years. The use of new types of MIP sorbents as unique sorption...
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Biomass-Derived Nitrogen Functionalized Carbon Nanodots and Their Anti-Biofouling Properties
PublicationThe prevalence of the antibiotic resistant bacteria remains a global issue. Cheap, sustainable and multifunctional antibacterial membranes are at the forefront of filtrating materials capable of treating multiple flow streams, such as water cleansing treatments. Carbon nanomaterials are particularly interesting objects shown to enhance antibacterial properties of composite materials. In this article, amino-functionalized, photoluminescent...
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Digital Transformation of Terrestrial Radio: An Analysis of Simulcasted Broadcasts in FM and DAB+ for a Smart and Successful Switchover
PublicationThe process of digitizing radio is far from over. It is an important interdisciplinary aspect, involving Big Data and AI (Artificial Intelligence) when it comes to classifying and handling content, and an organizational challenge in the Industry 4.0 concept. There exist several methods for delivering audio signals, including terrestrial broadcasting and internet streaming. Among them, the DAB+ (Digital Audio Broadcasting plus)...
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Antibiotic resistance in wastewater, does the context matter? Poland and Portugal as a case study
PublicationAntibiotic resistance has been considered a major human health threat that may endanger the success of medicine. Recent studies have unveiled worldwide asymmetries of antibiotic resistance occurrence, being factors as diverse as climate, socioeconomic, or antibiotic use possible drivers of such asymmetric distribution. In Europe, where clinical antibiotic resistance is surveyed for more than 20 years, the European Center for Disease...
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Trophic Transfer of Mercury in a Temperate Marine Food Web, Southern Baltic Sea
PublicationMercury (Hg) is considered to be one of the most dangerous global environmental pollutants. The toxicity and bioavailabilityof Hg depend on its chemical form, and the greatest hazard is posed by the organomercurial compounds. Hg is introduced into the human body primarily through the consumption of fish and seafood. Despite numerous studies on Hg in marine organisms, there is still a gap in the knowledge on Hg uptake and...
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Rapid method for the determination of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in fish muscle samples by microwave-assisted extraction and analysis of extracts by GC-ECD
PublicationA procedure for the multiresidue determination of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in fish muscle samples has been developed. The method is based on the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of food samples from an acetonitrile-water (95 + 5, v/v) mixture followed by SPE cleanup of the extracts and analysis by GC with an electron capture detector. MAE operational parameters, such as the extraction solvent,...
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User experience evaluation study on the quality of 1K, 2K, and 4K H.265/HEVC video content
PublicationNowadays, most content creators focus on distributing rich media at the highest possible resolution. Currently, the majority of sold consoles, media players, computer hardware, as well as displays and TVs are advertised as 4K-compatible. The same trend is observed in the case of popular online streaming services and terrestrial TV broadcasts. Generally speaking, it is assumed that higher bitrates provide higher subjective judgements....
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An overview of fermentation in the food industry - looking back from a new perspective
PublicationFermentation is thought to be born in the Fertile Crescent, and since then, almost every culture has integrated fermented foods into their dietary habits. Originally used to preserve foods, fermentation is now applied to improve their physicochemical, sensory, nutritional, and safety attributes. Fermented dairy, alcoholic beverages like wine and beer, fermented vegetables, fruits, and meats are all highly valuable due to their...
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Silicon oxycarbide ceramics as anodes for lithium ion batteries: influence of carbon content on lithium storage capacity
PublicationWe report here on the synthesis and characterization of silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) in view of its application as a potential anode material for Li-ion batteries. SiOC ceramics are obtained by pyrolysis of various polysiloxanes synthesized by sol–gel methods. The polysiloxanes contain different organic groups attached to silicon, which influence the chemical composition and the microstructure of the final ceramic product. The structure...
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Tyre/road noise reduction by a poroelastic road surface
PublicationLow noise road surfaces of existing types may in favourable cases and in new conditions provide up to 7 dB of noise reduction. For higher noise reductions, innovative solutions must be sought. Poroelastic road surfaces (PERS) may be such a solution, which currently is studied in the EU project PERSUADE. This paper presents results of trials with a PERS version prefabricated by one of the project partners. Tests were made in a laboratory...
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Ionic liquids-based microextraction techniques
PublicationIn recent years, the development of highly efficient analytical techniques is of great importance, however, the direct analysis of complex sample matrix is still impossible in many cases. Therefore, the step of sample preparation is commonly involved in an analytical procedure. Over the years, it has been realized that the major source of inaccuracy and imprecision on general analysis results from the operations associated to sample...
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Tailoring of SiOC composition as a way to better performing anodes for Li-ion batteries
PublicationPolymer derived silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) ceramics are investigated as potential anodes for lithiumion batteries. Different SiOC ceramics are prepared by pyrolysis (1000 °C and 1400 °C under controlled argon atmosphere) of polysiloxanes ceramic precursors. Preceramic polymers are synthesized using the sol–gel method. Phenyltriethoxysilane (PhTES) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) have been used as starting precursors and mixed with...
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The protection and monitoring of a distribution piping network for potable water supply
PublicationPurpose – The purpose of this paper is to implement the corrosion protection method for steel pipes used in a municipal water-pipe network. Results of an inhibitor protection system installed on the system are presented. Inhibitor protection was required due to the high corrosivity of the water collected by a surface intake, which had resulted in a large number of failures and low water quality, due to the presence of corrosion...
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Simulation-Based Approach to a More Efficient Handling Strategy for a Container Terminal Storage Yard: Case Study of the Baltic Hub Container Terminal
PublicationThe primary objective of this research was to implement a more efficient handling strategy in the container terminal storage yard at the Baltic Hub Container Terminal (BHCT). Following an analysis of the current logistics system associated with starboard-side mooring, an attempt was made to shift the mooring to the port side. Two routing strategies corresponding to the analysed mooring operations were tested using a developed model....
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Wastewater reuse in agriculture: Prospects and challenges
PublicationSustainable water recycling and wastewater reuse are urgent nowadays considering water scarcity and increased water consumption through human activities. In 2015, United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (UN SDG6) highlighted the necessity of recycling wastewater to guarantee water availability for individuals. Currently, wastewater irrigation (WWI) of crops and agricultural land appears essential. The present work overviews...
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IFI16 Impacts Metabolic Reprogramming during Human Cytomegalovirus Infection
PublicationCellular lipid metabolism plays a pivotal role in human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection, as increased lipogenesis in HCMV-infected cells favors the envelopment of newly synthesized viral particles. As all cells are equipped with restriction factors (RFs) able to exert a protective effect against invading pathogens, we asked whether a similar defense mechanism would also be in place to preserve the metabolic compartment from HCMV...
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Capillary Electrophoresis in determination of short - chain carboxylic acids in aqueous samples
PublicationAnalysis of pollution is extremely important especially in areas directly adjacent tothe residential district. Studies show that short- chain carboxylic acids are a group ofcompounds widespread around sewage treatment plants, landfills, livestock farms. The mostcommon techniques for determination of short - chain carboxylic acids are chromatographictechniques, especially gas chromatography, whose main limitation is that only volatilemonocarboxylic...
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Challenges in determination of pesticides from various chemical groups in fruits and vegetables applying QuEChERS method
PublicationPesticides are a large group of compounds with different physical and chemical properties, which place some of them among the most toxic, environmentally stable, and mobile substances. Nevertheless, their number, use, and application are continuously expanding. A consequence of their use is the possible presence of residues in treated food products. To protect consumers from exposure to unacceptable levels of pesticides Maximum...
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Framework of an Evolutionary Multi-Objective Optimisation Method for Planning a Safe Trajectory for a Marine Autonomous Surface Ship
PublicationThis paper represents the first stage of research into a multi-objective method of planning safe trajectories for marine autonomous surface ships (MASSs) involved in encounter situations. Our method applies an evolutionary multi-objective optimisation (EMO) approach to pursue three objectives: minimisation of the risk of collision, minimisation of fuel consumption due to collision avoidance manoeuvres, and minimisation of the extra...
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Analysis of volatile fraction selected hybrid fruits using chromatographic techniques
PublicationAt present, "healthy eating" is gaining in popularity. Many people associate this term with eating plenty of vegetables and fruits. The basic elements influencing the selection of fruit are their appearance and smell. Of course, their origin and impact on human health are also very important. In recent years, exotic fruits have become increasingly accessible, making them gaining popularity, even among Poles. You can also meet plants...
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Preference-based evolutionary multi-objective optimization in ship weather routing
PublicationIn evolutionary multi-objective optimization (EMO) the aim is to find a set of Pareto-optimal solutions. Such approach may be applied to multiple real-life problems, including weather routing (WR) of ships. The route should be optimal in terms of passage time, fuel consumption and safety of crew and cargo while taking into account dynamically changing weather conditions. Additionally it must not violate any navigational constraints...
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Transparency of publicly available information about fiscal and monetary policy in Poland
PublicationResearch background: The quality of information provided by fiscal and monetary authorities are important in a democratic state. Ensuring fiscal policy transparency reduces fiscal risk and corruption and promotes public acceptance of fiscal reforms. Ensuring transparency in monetary policy allows market participants to anticipate central bank responses and take their effects into account when making investment and consumption decisions. Aim...
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Simulation-Based Approach to a More Efficient Handling Strategy for a Container Terminal Storage Yard: Case Study of the Baltic Hub Container Terminal
PublicationThe primary objective of this research was to implement a more efficient handling strategy in the container terminal storage yard at the Baltic Hub Container Terminal (BHCT). Following an analysis of the current logistics system associated with starboard-side mooring, an attempt was made to shift the mooring to the port side. Two routing strategies corresponding to the analysed mooring operations were tested using a developed...
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Enhancing the bioconversion rate and end products of black soldier fly (BSF) treatment – A comprehensive review
PublicationFood security remains a pressing concern in the face of an increasing world population and environmental challenges. As climate change, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity continue to impact agricultural productivity, traditional livestock farming faces limitations in meeting the growing global demand for meat and dairy products. In this context, black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) have emerged as a promising alternative for sustainable...