Search results for: mean value
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Respiratory Rate Estimation Based on Detected Mask Area in Thermal Images
PublicationThe popularity of non-contact methods of measuring vital signs, particularly respiratory rate, has increased during the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. Breathing parameters can be estimated by analysis of temperature changes observed in thermal images of nostrils or mouth regions. However, wearing virus-protection face masks prevents direct detection of such face regions. In this work, we propose to use an automatic mask detection approach...
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Effective Equations for the Optimum Seismic Gap Preventing Earthquake-Induced Pounding between Adjacent Buildings Founded on Different Soil Types
PublicationThe best approach to avoid collisions between adjacent structures during earthquakes is to provide sufficient spacing between them. However, the existing formulas for calculating the optimum seismic gap preventing pounding were found to provide inaccurate results upon the consideration of different soil types. The aim of this paper is to propose new equations for the evaluation of the sufficient in-between separation gap for buildings...
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Psychometric assessment of the Internet Gaming Disorder diagnostic criteria: An Item Response Theory study
PublicationInternet Gaming Disorder (IGD) has been recognized by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) as a tentative disorder in the latest fifth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). In order to advance research on IGD, the APA has suggested that further research on the nine IGD criteria to investigate its clinical and empirical feasibility is necessary. The aim of the present study was to...
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LC-MS/MS dtermination of isoprostanes in plasma samples collected from mice exposed to doxorubicin or tert-butyl hydroperoxide
PublicationIsoprostanes are stable products of arachidonic acid peroxidation and are regarded as the most reliable markers of oxidative stress in vivo. Here we describe the LC-MS/MS procedure enabling simultaneous determination of four regioisomers (8-iso prostaglandin F2α, 8-iso-15(R)-prostaglandin F2α, 11β-prostaglandin F2α, 15(R)-prostaglandin F2α) in plasma samples collected from mice. The four plasma isoprostanes are determined by LC–ESI-MS/MS...
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Pedestrian detection in low-resolution thermal images
PublicationOver one million people die in car accidents worldwide each year. A solution that will be able to reduce situations in which pedestrian safety is at risk has been sought for a long time. One of the techniques for detecting pedestrians on the road is the use of artificial intelligence in connection with thermal imaging. The purpose of this work was to design a system to assist the safety of people and car intelligence with the use...
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Deterministic versus stochastic modelling of unsaturated flow in a sandy field soil based on dual tracer breakthrough data
PublicationThe 216 km2 Neuenhagen Millcreeck catchment can be characterized as a drought sensitive landscape in NE Germany. It is therefore a fundamental human interest to understand how water that fell as precipitation moves through the unsaturated soils and recharges groundwater. Additionally, a better knowledge of nutrient transport from soil to groundwater is important also, especially in landscapes with light sandy soils. For a better...
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Activity of Patents in Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Production in the Context of Passenger Car Fleet in the V4 Countries
PublicationThe hydrogen market in the world today is capable ovule and em-pirical evidence on activity of patents in fuel cells and hydrogen production islimited so far. Patent applications in zero-emission mobility in the aspect of fuelcells include: DAFC/DMFC&DMFC, PEMFC, SOFC, AFC, PAFC. As for thepatents relating to the hydrogen production, they concern low carbon, electrol-ysis and inorganic. The purpose of the study was to investigate...
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What do hashtags afford in digital fashion communication? An exploratory study on Gucci-related hashtags on Twitter and Instagram.
PublicationBeing enmeshed in a digital environment, we daily produce internet-mediated texts – encompassing several different semiotic codes – accessible on a global scale. Posts on different networks usually contain hashtags, which can be understood as affordances or behavior opportunities. These affordances allow specific actions both from the part of the writer and the reader. They can also be “behavior triggers,” which invite certain...
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Performance of Vector-valued Intensity Measures for Estimating Residual Drift of Steel MRFs with Viscous Dampers
PublicationViscous Dampers (VDs) are widely used as passive energy dissipation system for improving seismic performance levels especially in retrofitting of buildings. Residual Inter-story Drift Ratio (R-IDR) is another important factor that specifies the condition of building after earthquake. The values of R-IDR illustrates the possibility of retrofitting and repairing of a building. Therefore, this study aims to explore the vector-valued...
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Short-Term Price Reaction to Filing for Bankruptcy and Restructuring Proceedings—The Case of Poland
PublicationThis study aims to check market reaction to filing for bankruptcy and restructuring proceedings and to verify the short-term effect of a price reversal in the Polish market in the years 2004–2019. The research was conducted by dividing the analysed companies according to the procedure (bankruptcy and restructuring) and market (the main market and the NewConnect market). The research methodology used in the study is the event analysis...
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Simulator for Performance Evaluation of ASON/GMPLS Network
PublicationThe hierarchical control plane network architecture of Automatically Switched Optical Network with utilization of Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching protocols is compliant to next generation networks requirements and can supply connections with required quality of service, even with incomplete domain information. Considering connection control, connection management and network management, the controllers of this architecture...
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Exergy and Energy Analyses of Microwave Dryer for Cantaloupe Slice and Prediction of Thermodynamic Parameters Using ANN and ANFIS Algorithms
PublicationThe study targeted towards drying of cantaloupe slices with various thicknesses in a microwave dryer. The experiments were carried out at three microwave powers of 180, 360, and 540 W and three thicknesses of 2, 4, and 6 mm for cantaloupe drying, and the weight variations were determined. Artificial neural networks (ANN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS) were exploited to investigate energy and exergy indices of...
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Application of different building representation techniques in HEC-RAS 2-D for urban flood modeling using the Toce River experimental case
PublicationThis paper presents the impact of the choice of building representation techniques and hydrodynamic models on urban flood simulations using HEC-RAS 2-D for the Toce River physical model. To this end, eight numerical models based on previous laboratory experiments were prepared to simulate unsteady urban flooding on each side of building units. Two simplified building layouts (aligned and staggered) were examined, where models were...
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The Influence of COD Fraction Forms and Molecules Size on Hydrolysis Process Developed by Comparative OUR Studies in Activated Sludge Modelling
PublicationThe activated sludge models (ASMs) commonly used by the International Water Association (IWA) task group are based on chemical oxygen demand (COD) fractionations. However, the proper evaluation of COD fractions, which is crucial for modelling and especially oxygen uptake rate (OUR) predictions, is still under debate. The biodegradation of particulate COD is initiated by the hydrolysis process, which is an integral part of an ASM....
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Person Tracking in Ultra-Wide Band Hybrid Localization System Using Reduced Number of Reference Nodes
PublicationIn this article a novel method of positional data integration in an indoor hybrid localization system combining inertial navigation with radio distance measurements is presented. A point of interest is the situation when the positional data and the radio distance measurements are obtained from less than thee reference nodes and it is impossible to unambiguously localize the moving person due to undetermined set of positional equations....
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Flooding Extent Mapping for Synthetic Aperture Radar Time Series Using River Gauge Observations
PublicationThe flooding extent area in a river valley is related to river gauge observations such as discharge and water elevations. The higher the water elevations, or discharge, the larger the flooding area. Flooding extent maps are often derived from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images using thresholding methods. The thresholding methods vary in complexity and number of required parameters. We proposed a simple thresholding method that...
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Drill holes decrease cancellous bone strength: A comparative study of 33 paired osteoporotic human and 9 paired artificial bone samples
PublicationThis study was designed to compare compressive strength of cancellous bone retrieved from the femoral head in a specimen with and without guide wire hole, with comparison to synthetic bone samples. Femoral heads retrieved from 33 patients who sustained femoral neck fractures and underwent hip arthroplasty were cut into cuboids leaving two matching samples from the same femoral head. Similar samples were prepared from synthetic femurs....
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A Proposed Soft Computing Model for Ultimate Strength Estimation of FRP-Confined Concrete Cylinders
PublicationIn this paper, the feed-forward backpropagation neural network (FFBPNN) is used to propose a new formulation for predicting the compressive strength of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)-confined concrete cylinders. A set of experimental data has been considered in the analysis. The data include information about the dimensions of the concrete cylinders (diameter, length) and the total thickness of FRP layers, unconfined ultimate concrete...
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The correlation between the MRI-evaluated ectopic fat accumulation and the incidence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension depends on body mass index and waist circumference ratio.
PublicationThe widespread presence of overweight and obesity increases with every decade, and the number of people with body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2 has doubled in the last 30 years. The aim of the study is to assess the correlation between MRI-evaluated ectopic fat accumulation in pancreas, skeletal muscles and liver and the incidence of type 2 diabetes and hypertension, depending on BMI and waist circumference ratio. This prospective...
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BPL-PLC Voice Communication System for the Oil and Mining Industry
PublicationApplication of a high-efficiency voice communication systems based on broadband over power line-power line communication (BPL-PLC) technology in medium voltage networks, including hazardous areas (like the oil and mining industry), as a redundant mean of wired communication (apart from traditional fiber optics and electrical wires) can be beneficial. Due to the possibility of utilizing existing electrical infrastructure, it can...
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Wavelet Transform Analysis of Heart Rate to Assess Recovery Time for Long Distance Runners
PublicationThe diagnostics of the condition of athletes has become a field of special scientific interest and activity. The aim of this study was to verify the effect of a long (100 km) run on a group of runners, as well as to assess the recovery time that is required for them to return to the pre-run state. The heart rate (HR) data presented were collected the day before the extreme physical effort, on the same day as, but after, the physical...
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Synthesis of 3-(2-Alkylthio-4-chloro-5-methylbenzenesulfonyl)-2-(1-phenyl-3-arylprop-2-enylideneamino)guanidine Derivatives with Pro-Apoptotic Activity against Cancer Cells
PublicationThe untypical course of reaction between chalcones and benzenesulfonylaminoguanidines led to the new 3-(2-alkylthio-4-chloro-5-methylbenzenesulfonyl)-2-(1-phenyl-3-arylprop-2- enylideneamino)guanidine derivatives 8–33. The new compounds were tested in vitro for their impact on the growth of breast cancer cells MCF-7, cervical cancer cells HeLa and colon cancer cells HCT-116 by MTT assay. The results revealed that the activity of...
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RMS-based damage identification in adhesive joint between concrete beam and steel plate using ultrasonic guided waves
PublicationAdhesive joints have numerous applications in many branches of industry, such as civil engineering, automotive, aerospace and shipbuilding. As with most structural elements, adhesive joints can experience any damage mechanism, which induces the need for diagnostic testing. Ultrasonic waves are widely used for non-destructive inspection of many structures and their elements, including adhesive joints. Guided wave propagation method...
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Role of the Solvation Water in Remote Interactions of Hyperactive Antifreeze Proteins with the Surface of Ice
PublicationMost protein molecules do not adsorb onto ice, one of the exceptions being so-called antifreeze proteins. In this paper, we describe that there is a force pushing an antifreeze protein molecule away from the ice surface when it is not oriented with its ice-binding plane toward the ice and that this pushing force may be also present even when the protein is oriented with its ice-binding plane toward the ice. This force is absent...
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Arctic catchment as a sensitive indicator of the environmental changes: distribution and migration of metals (Svalbard)
PublicationArctic regions experience metal pollution, despite their remote location, and the distribution and migration of those metals determine their potential impact on the local environment. Here, a High-Arctic catchment (Revelva, Svalbard) located remotely from human-induced pollution sources is studied with respect to the distribution and migration of chosen trace elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Cs, Mo, Ni, Pb,...
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Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Health Behaviours and Literacy of Future Healthcare Professionals
PublicationOur everyday behaviours in life can positively and negatively impact our health, thus cumulatively shaping our lifestyles as more or less healthy. These behaviours are often determined by our knowledge, literacy, motivations and socioeconomic backgrounds. The authors aimed to assess health behaviours and explore variables that may affect persons studying to become future healthcare professionals in Poland. This study was conducted...
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Nanocrystalline diamond microelectrode on fused silica optical fibers for electrochemical and optical sensing
PublicationFabrication process of thin boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (B-NCD) microelectrode on fused silica single mode optical fiber has been investigated. The B-NCD films were deposited on the fibers using Microwave Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (MW PA CVD) at glass substrate temperature of 475 ºC. We have obtained homogenous, continuous and polycrystalline surface morphology with the mean grain size in the range of 100-250...
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Human Resource Management Digitalisation in Multidisciplinary Ship Design Companies
PublicationThe digitalisation in the ship design sector is currently applied to the design process itself and is well defined, partially standardised and practically implemented by both independent design companies and the design departments of shipyards. The situation is similar in other sectors of engineering. However, the requirements for the digitalisation of other processes in design and engineering companies have not previously been...
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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...
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Variable Data Structures and Customized Deep Learning Surrogates for Computationally Efficient and Reliable Characterization of Buried Objects
PublicationIn this study, in order to characterize the buried object via deep-learning-based surrogate modeling approach, 3-D full-wave electromagnetic simulations of a GPR model has been used. The task is to predict simultaneously and independent of each characteristic parameters of a buried object of several radii at different positions (depth and lateral position) in various dispersive subsurface media. This study has analyzed variable...
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Globalized Parametric Optimization of Microwave Passive Components Using Simplex-Based Surrogates
PublicationOptimization-based parameter adjustment involving full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulation models is a crucial stage of present-day microwave design process. In fact, rigorous optimization is the only reliable mean permitting to simultaneously handle multiple geometry/material parameters, objectives, and constraints. Unfortunately, EM-driven design is a computationally intensive endeavor. While local tuning is usually manageable,...
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Characterization of Bioactivity of Selective Molecules in Fruit Wines by FTIR and NMR Spectroscopies, Fluorescence and Docking Calculations
PublicationFourier transform infrared (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopies were applied to characterize and compare the chemical shifts in the polyphenols’ regions of some fruit wines. The obtained results showed that FTIR spectra (1800–900 cm−1) and 1H NMR (δ 6.5–9.3 ppm) of different fruit wines can be used as main indices of the year of vintage and quality of fruit wines. In addition to the classical determination...
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Exploring the factor structure and the validity of the abbreviated Basic and Earning Self-Esteem Scales
PublicationThe original longer versions (Forsman & Johnson, 1996) and abbreviated versions of the Basic and Earning Self-Esteem Scales have been used in clinical and non-clinical settings, but little is known about the factor structure and the validity of these scales in their abbreviated forms. The original longer versions of the scales comprise several dimensions, but both abbreviated versions of the scales have been interpreted as if they...
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An effective method for studying intermolecular interactions in binary liquids with hydrogen bonds: FTIR spectra and ab initio calculations in the N-methylformamide - methanol system
PublicationMolecular complexes in methanol (MeOH)−N-methylformamide (NMF) mixtures were studied based on their FTIR-ATR spectra, to which two methods of analysis were applied: factor analysis and a quantitative version of the difference-spectra method. The mean composition of a complex between NMF and MeOH molecules over the whole range of mixture compositions was determined. Absorbing species differentiated with regard to the interaction...
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Online Volatile Compound Emissions Analysis Using a Microchamber/Thermal Extractor Coupled to Proton Transfer Reaction-Mass Spectrometry
PublicationIndoor air is a complex and dynamic mixture comprising manifold volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may cause physiological and/or psychological discomfort, depending on the nature of exposure. This technical note presents a novel approach to analyze VOC emissions by coupling a microchamber/thermal extractor (μ-CTE) system to a proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometer (PTR-MS). This configuration provides an alternative to...
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Opto-Electrochemical Sensing Device Based on Long-Period Grating Coated with Boron-Doped Diamond Thin Film
PublicationThe fabrication process of thin boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (B-NCD) microelectrodes on fused silica single mode optical fiber cladding has been investigated. The B-NCD films were deposited on the fibers using Microwave Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (MW PA CVD) at glass substrate temperature of 475 ºC. We have obtained homogenous, continuous and polycrystalline surface morphology with high sp3 content in B-NCD...
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Higher Responsiveness to Rosuvastatin in Polygenic versus Monogenic Hypercholesterolemia: A Propensity Score Analysis
PublicationBackground: The monogenic defect in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is detected in ∼40% of cases. The majority of mutation-negative patients have a polygenic cause of high LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C). We sought to investigate whether the underlying monogenic or polygenic defect is associated with the response to rosuvastatin. Methods: FH Individuals were tested for mutations in LDLR and APOB genes. A previously established LDL-C-specific...
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Hyperbranched polyethylenimine functionalized silica/polysulfone nanocomposite membranes for water purification
PublicationHyperbranched polyethyleneimine functionalized silica (PEI-SiO2) nanoparticles with considerable hydrophilicity were synthesized and incorporated into a polysulfone (PSF)/dimethylacetamide (DMA)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) membrane casting solution in five different ratios to fabricate PEI-SiO2/PSF nanocomposite membranes using nonsolvent-induced phase separation. The hydrophilic PEI-SiO2 nanoparticles were characterized by TEM,...
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Field Evaluation of High Modulus Asphalt Concrete Resistance to Low-Temperature Cracking
PublicationHigh-modulus asphalt concrete has numerous advantages in comparison to conventional asphalt concrete, including increased resistance to permanent deformations and increased pavement fatigue life. However, previous studies have shown that the construction of road pavements with High Modulus Asphalt Concrete (HMAC) may significantly increase the risk of low-temperature cracking. Those observations were the motivation for the research...
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Analysis of energy efficiency of suburban railway transport network
PublicationRising numbers of agglomeration residents cause increased need for people movement on daily basis. Because of congestion of local roads, air pollution and limited parking space, providing mass transit based on electric traction is reasonable. While the electric rail vehicles are considered highly efficient in themselves, they need to be analyzed as a part of a transport network, because energy consumption depends on operating conditions...
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Determination of Odor Air Quality Index (OAQII) Using Gas Sensor Matrix
PublicationThis article presents a new way to determine odor nuisance based on the proposed odor air quality index (OAQII), using an instrumental method. This indicator relates the most important odor features, such as intensity, hedonic tone and odor concentration. The research was conducted at the compost screening yard of the municipal treatment plant in Central Poland, on which a self-constructed gas sensor array was placed. It consisted...
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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...
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Seasonal and spatial differences in metal and metalloid concentrations in the snow cover of Hansbreen, Svalbard
PublicationMetals and metalloids in snow on glaciers, depending on the season of deposition, may come from various sources: local rock dust (erosion of the geological substratum), marine aerosol, local human activity (e.g. fuel combustion, waste incineration) and long-range atmospheric transport. Hansbreen glacier, located close to the Polish Polar Station in Svalbard, is a perfect site to study metals and metalloids: it has complex geological...
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Effect of MgSO4 nutrition on Theobroma cacao L. susceptibility to Phytophthora megakarya infection
PublicationA new strategy to reduce the severity of black pod disease (BPD) in T. cacao plants using MgSO4 nutrition was investigated. The dynamics of the tolerance to BPD of 18 susceptible T. cacao plantlets coming from the cross (♀SNK64 × ♂UPA14) was monitored during weekly (8 weeks) supply of MgSO4 into the soil. Prior to MgSO4 application, disease scores of the 18 plantlets (in six sets of three plantlets per set) were varying between...
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Comparison of hydrochemistry and organic compound transport in two non-glaciated high Arctic catchments with a permafrost regime (Bellsund Fjord, Spitsbergen)
PublicationAn increase in air temperature related to climate change results in the retreat of glaciers, the degradation of permafrost, and the expansion of glacier-free areas in the polar regions. All these processes lead to changes in the Arctic landscape. They influence the hydrochemistry of streams and rivers fed by glaciers and thawing permafrost. In this study, we examine eighty two water samples from two non-glaciated catchments with...
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The importance of individual spray properties in performance improvement of a urea-SCR system employing flash-boiling injection
PublicationThe appropriate mixing of a urea–water solution (UWS) with exhaust gases in a selective catalytic reduction system is crucial to efficiently reduce nitrogen oxides and diminish the deposition of liquid wall film. One of the methods to enhance the mixing of the UWS with the exhaust gases is a flash-boiling injection. Its positive effect has been linked with a reduced Sauter mean diameter (SMD) and improved evaporation, but the...
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Spatio-Temporal Validation of GNSS-Derived Global Ionosphere Maps Using 16 Years of Jason Satellites Observations
PublicationExisting ionospheric models perform very well in mapping the calm state of the ionosphere. However, the problem is accurately determining the total electron content (TEC) for disturbed days. Knowledge of the exact electron density is essential for single−frequency receivers, which cannot eliminate the ionospheric delay. This study aims to investigate temporal and spatial variability in the distribution of TEC based on differences...
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Defected Ag/Cu-MOF as a modifier of polyethersulfone membranes for enhancing permeability, antifouling properties and heavy metal and dye pollutant removal
PublicationIn this study, a novel bimetallic metal-organic framework (MOF) i.e. Ag/Cu-MOF was synthesized using a solvothermal method and later incorporated at different concentrations (0.1–2 wt%) using a phase inversion method for modification and antifouling property improvement of polyethersulfone (PES) membranes. The resulting Ag/Cu-MOF characteristics were investigated using different techniques, such as FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM and EDX. The...
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Damage detection in 3D printed plates using ultrasonic wave propagation supported with weighted root mean square calculation and wavefield curvature imaging
Publication3D printing (additive manufacturing, AM) is a promising approach to producing light and strong structures with many successful applications, e.g., in dentistry and orthopaedics. Many types of filaments differing in mechanical properties can be used to produce 3D printed structures, including polymers, metals or ceramics. Due to the simplicity of the manufacturing process, biodegradable polymers are widely used, e.g., polylactide (polylactide...
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Application of a Gas Sensor Array to Effectiveness Monitoring of Air Contaminated with Toluene Vapors Absorption Process
PublicationThis article demonstrates the application of a gas sensor array to monitor the effectiveness of the absorption process of air stream purification from odorous compounds (toluene vapors). A self-constructed matrix consisting of five commercially available gas sensors was used. Multiple linear regression (MLR) was selected as the statistical technique used to calibrate the matrice. Gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization...