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Search results for: FUNCTIONAL SAFETY.
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Cu( II ) ions removal from wastewater using starch nanoparticles ( SNPs ): An Eco‐sustainable approach
PublicationThe complex structured starch particles were reduced to the nanoscale size range through hydrolysis utilizing low concentration acid assisted with ultrasound irradiation. The synthesized starch nanoparticles (SNPs) were characterized by TEM, FTIR, and XRD techniques. The synthesized SNPs possessed surface activated entities, as many cationic functional groups were confirmed through the FTIR spectrum. Also, these SNPs were effectively...
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Shrinking-shifting and amplifying-shifting device using transformation optics
PublicationBased on transformation optics (TO), this paper uses geometric divisions and linear coordinate transformations to design “shrinking-shifting—and reshaping”, and “amplifying-shifting—and reshaping” devices. The proposed devices can reshape the sizes and locations of the wrapped-objects inside the core-region. The shrinking-shifting device shrinks the larger object into a smaller one and shifts it to different location, whereas the...
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Cast iron in the 19th-century building equipment
PublicationCast iron is a material, characteristics of which enable to receive extremely artistic elements. It maintains good strength properties at the same time. That combination of these seemingly contrary traits makes it a commodity that was widely used in the 19th century industry and architecture. These usages were not only as decorative elements, technical and structural ones. The production of new household utilities started, which...
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ENERGY ANALYSIS OF PROPULSION SHAFT FATIGUE PROCESS IN ROTATING MECHANICAL SYSTEM PART I TESTING SIGNIFICANCE OF INFLUENCE OF SHAFT MATERIAL FATIGUE EXCITATION PARAMETERS
PublicationThe article discusses the problem of mathematical modelling of energy conversion processes in a rotating mechanical system for the purpose of identifying fatigue states of propulsion shafts in this system. A simplified physical model of the analysed system, constructed in an appropriate scale, has made the basis for the experimental research. The research programme took into consideration mechanical fatigue excitation of the model...
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Bitumen Aging—Laboratory Simulation Methods Used in Practice and Selected Directions of Research on New Methods
PublicationChanges in the properties of bitumen binders that occur as a result of aging have a huge impact on the durability of products produced from them. In particular, asphalt pavements, which constitute the most common use of petroleum bitumen, are susceptible to damage resulting from the increasing stiffness of the bitumen during its life cycle. Increased stiffness of asphalt pavements reduces the pavement resistance to low-temperature...
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Prophylaxis of Non-communicable Diseases: Why Fruits and Vegetables may be Better Chemopreventive Agents than Dietary Supplements Based on Isolated Phytochemicals?
PublicationThe World Health Organization (WHO) report from 2014 documented that non-communicable socalled civilization diseases such as cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer or type 2 diabetes are responsible for over 50% of all premature deaths in the world. Research carried out over the past 20 years has provided data suggesting that diet is an essential factor influencing the risk of development of these diseases....
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Computational analysis of substituent effects on proton affinity and gas-phase basicity of TEMPO derivatives and their hydrogen bonding interactions with water molecules
PublicationThe study investigates the molecular structure of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) and its derivatives in the gas phase using B3LYP and M06-2X functional methods. Intermolecular interactions are analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) and atoms in molecules (AIM) techniques. NO2-substituted TEMPO displays high reactivity, less stability, and softer properties. The study reveals that the stability of TEMPO derivatives...
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Three-component NiO/Fe3O4/rGO nanostructure as an electrode material towards supercapacitor and alcohol electrooxidation
PublicationA nanocomposite made of nickel oxide and iron oxide (NiO/Fe3O4) and its hybrid with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a conductive substrate with a highly functional surface (NiO/Fe3O4/rGO) was synthesized using a simple hydrothermal approach. This study addresses the challenge of developing efficient materials for energy storage and alcohol fuel cells. After confirming the synthesis through structural analysis, the potential of...
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A Comparative Study of Precision Surface Grinding Using Additively Fabricated Acrylonitrile–Butadiene–Styrene (ABS) Wheels with Continuous and Serrated Working Surfaces
PublicationNowadays, high requirements imposed by mechanical components make it necessary to develop modern production methods. Additive technologies have been dynamically developing in recent years, showing many advantages associated with the fabrication of elements with complex ge-ometries and structures. One of the areas where the potential of additive technologies is exploited is the rapid tooling sector, which is based on the rapid production...
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Unlocking the electrochemical performance of glassy carbon electrodes by surface engineered, sustainable chitosan membranes
PublicationChitosan coatings, derived from crustacean shell waste, possess inherent biocompatibility and biodegradability, rendering them suitable for various biomedical and environmental applications, including electrochemical biosensing. Its amine and hydroxyl functional groups offer abundant sites for chemical modifications to boost the charge transfer kinetics and provide excellent adhesion, enabling the construction of robust electrode-coating...
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Deep eutectic solvent-enhanced crop residue adsorbents for eco-efficient volatile organosulfur compounds adsorption from gaseous fuels
PublicationThis study highlights the innovative potential of converting crop residues, typically considered waste, into valuable materials. By modifying these residues with green solvent-based deep eutectic solvents (DES), a novel adsorbent was specifically designed for the selective removal of volatile organosulfur compounds (such as thiophene, sec-butyl mercaptan, and dimethyl disulfide) from biogas streams. The selection of the most effective...
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Chemical Origins of Optically Addressable Spin States in Eu2(P2S6) and Eu2(P2Se6)
PublicationLanthanide materials with a 4f7 electron configuration (8S7/2) offer an exciting system for realizing multiple addressable spin states for qubit design. While the 8S7/2 ground state of 4f7 free ions displays an isotropic character, breaking degeneracy of this ground state and excited states can be achieved through local symmetry of the lanthanide and the choice of ligands. This makes Eu2+ attractive as it mirrors Gd3+ in exhibiting...
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Novel single-stranded DNA-binding proteins from extreme psychrophilic bacterium Psychromonas ingrahamii 37
PublicationWe report the identification and characterization of the single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) from extreme psychrophilic bacterium Psychromonas ingrahamii 37 (PinSSB) that grows expotentially at -12°C and may well grow at even lower temperatures. PinSSB is one of the largest known bacterial SSB protein consisting 222 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 25.1 kDa. The analysis by gel filtration chromatography...
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Characterization of exceptionally thermostable single-stranded DNA-binding proteins from Thermotoga maritima and Thermotoga neapolitana
PublicationBACKGROUND: In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in SSBs because they find numerous applications in diverse molecular biology and analytical methods.RESULTS: We report the characterization of single-stranded DNA binding proteins (SSBs) from the thermophilic bacteria Thermotoga maritima (TmaSSB) and Thermotoga neapolitana (TneSSB). They are the smallest known bacterial SSB proteins, consisting of 141 and 142 amino...
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Experimental study of magnetorheological fluids under large periodic deformations
PublicationMagnetorheological (MR) fluids are smart materials whose properties can be controlled by a magnetic field. They are used in a variety of applications with tailored operating parameters, facilitating broad and relatively straightforward implementation and control of the functional properties of these systems. The aim of the study was to determine the variation in shear stress of MR fluids under varying...
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Linear-scaling calculation of Hartree-Fock exchange energy with Non-orthogonal Generalised Wannier Functions
PublicationWe present a method for the calculation of four-centre two-electron repulsion integrals in terms of localised non-orthogonal generalised Wannier functions (NGWFs). Our method has been imple- mented in the ONETEP program and is used to compute the Hartree-Fock exchange energy component of Hartree-Fock and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations with hybrid exchange-correlation functionals. As the NGWFs are optimised in situ...
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Advanced Potential Energy Surfaces for Molecular Simulation
PublicationAdvanced potential energy surfaces are defined as theoretical models that explicitly include many-body effects that transcend the standard fixed-charge, pairwise-additive paradigm typically used in molecular simulation. However, several factors relating to their software implementation have precluded their widespread use in condensed-phase simulations: the computational cost of the theoretical models, a paucity of approximate models...
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Markthal Rotterdam as a contemporary continuation of nineteenth-entury market-halls' architectural ideas in Europe, 3rd International Multidisciplinary Scientific Conference, Social Sciences and Arts, Conference proceedings, book 4, Arts, Performing Arts, Architecture and design, Volume II, Vienna, Austria; pp. 391-398
PublicationIn the nineteenth century the reorganization of the European city local trading model resulted in the network of a series of newly constructed covered market halls. The large-format objects superseded the trade forms of previous streets and squares. In the second half of the twentieth century the panoply of the public trade markets was dominated by food super- and hypermarkets. It seemed that the era of old-time market halls,...
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Web-based real-time simulation system
PublicationThe paper presents the development of a simulation system composed of a real-time plant simulator with real-time controller included in the software-in-the-loop structure using web-based communication. The client-server architecture build in a TCP/IP network environment was introduced, where the server is a computing unit for real-time high temporal resolution plant simulation (and optionally also as controllers' platform) and...
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Bulk-Surface Modification of Nanoparticles for Developing Highly-Crosslinked Polymer Nanocomposites
PublicationSurface modification of nanoparticles with functional molecules has become a routine method to compensate for diffusion-controlled crosslinking of thermoset polymer composites at late stages of crosslinking, while bulk modification has not carefully been discussed. In this work, a highly-crosslinked model polymer nanocomposite based on epoxy and surface-bulk functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) was developed. MNPs were...
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Electronic structure calculations in electrolyte solutions: Methods for neutralization of extended charged interfaces
PublicationDensity functional theory (DFT) is often used for simulating extended materials such as infinite crystals or surfaces, under periodic boundary conditions (PBCs). In such calculations, when the simulation cell has non-zero charge, electrical neutrality has to be imposed, and this is often done via a uniform background charge of opposite sign (“jellium”). This artificial neutralization does not occur in reality, where a different...
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Bortezomib induces methylation changes in neuroblastoma cells that appear to play a significant role in resistance development to this compound
PublicationThe anticancer activity of bortezomib (BTZ) has been increasingly studied in a number of indications and promising results for the use of this treatment have been shown in neuroblastoma. As BTZ treatment is usually administered in cycles, the development of resistance and side effects in patients undergoing therapy with BTZ remains a major challenge for the clinical usage of this compound. Common resistance development also means...
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Two bacterial small heat shock proteins, IbpA and IbpB, form a functional heterodimer
PublicationSmall heat shock proteins (sHsps) are a conserved class of ATP-independent chaperones which in stress conditions bind to unfolded protein substrates and prevent their irreversible aggregation. Substrates trapped in sHsps-containing aggregates are efficiently refolded into native structures by ATP-dependent Hsp70 and Hsp100 chaperones. Most γ-proteobacteria possess a single sHsp (IbpA), while in a subset of Enterobacterales, as...
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Machining process sequencing and machine assignment in generative feature-based CAPP for mill-turn parts
PublicationProcess selection and sequencing, as one of the most complex issues when evaluated from a mathematical point of view and crucial in CAPP, still attract research attention. For the current trend of intelligent manufacturing, machining features (MFs) are the information carriers for workpiece geometry and topology representation. They are basically derived from CAD models and are used by downstream engineering applications. A feature-based...
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Iron–Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis Chaperones: Evidence for Emergence of Mutational Robustness of a Highly Specific Protein–Protein Interaction
PublicationBiogenesis of iron–sulfur clusters (FeS) is a highly conserved process involving Hsp70 and J-protein chaperones. However, Hsp70 specialization differs among species. In most eukaryotes, including Schizosaccharomyces pombe, FeS biogenesis involves interaction between the J-protein Jac1 and the multifunctional Hsp70 Ssc1. But, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and closely related species, Jac1 interacts with the specialized Hsp70 Ssq1,...
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Fermi-liquid behavior of binary intermetallic compounds Y3 M (M = Co, Ni, Rh, Pd, Ir, Pt)
PublicationA series of polycrystalline samples of Y3 M (M = Co, Ni, Rh, Pd, Ir, Pt), intermetallic binary compounds were synthesized by the arc-melting method. Powder x-ray diffraction (pXRD) confirmed the orthorhombic cementite-type crystal structure and allowed for the estimation of the lattice parameters. Physical properties were investigated by means of electrical resistivity and heat capacity measurements between 1.9 K and 300 K. All...
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Connected & Automated Urban Mobility, Zombie Cars and Kitchen Knives: Will Autonomous Automobiles, Self-Driving Car-Sharing and Ride-Hailing, and Driverless Shuttles Harm Cities?
PublicationThere is a deficiency of supportive evidence to verify thesis that cities are prepared for mobility revolution which already begun and will advance exponentially. Furthermore, present revisions mostly emphasize how emerging mobility solutions will alter transport efficiency or affect mass transit usage, rather than on urban morphology, metropolitan society, nor local communities. Author is thoroughly concerned that municipalities...
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Microporous Polyurethane Thin Layer as a Promising Scaffold for Tissue Engineering
PublicationThe literature describes that the most efficient cell penetration takes place at 200–500 µm depth of the scaffold. Many different scaffold fabrication techniques were described to reach these guidelines. One such technique is solvent casting particulate leaching (SC/PL). The main advantage of this technique is its simplicity and cost efficiency, while its main disadvantage is the scaffold thickness, which is usually not less than...
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Microgrinding with single-disk lapping kinematics.
PublicationGrinding operations are carried out with a variety of tool-workpiece configurations. The selection of a grinding process for a particular application depends on part shape, part size, ease of fixture, requirements concerning the acceptable shape errors. It is evident that lapping is very effective in eliminating the waviness while surface grinding is not. Dual disk machines for the double face grinding with planetary kinematics...
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Comparison of classical and modern approach of determination of highly polar compounds by High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry
PublicationAbstract: Sugars and sugar alcohols are known as highly polar compounds. Four analytes were taken into consideration for comparison of classical and modern approach of separation of highly polar substances. Mannitol was chosen as an example of simple sugar alcohol, sucrose and lactulose as examples of disaccharides and structural isomers, raffinose as an example of complex trisaccharide. Raffinose was also used as internal standard...
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Density functional theory calculations on entire proteins for free energies of binding: Application to a model polar binding site
PublicationIn drug optimization calculations, the molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) method can be used to compute free energies of binding of ligands to proteins. The method involves the evaluation of the energy of configurations in an implicit solvent model. One source of errors is the force field used, which can potentially lead to large errors due to the restrictions in accuracy imposed by its empirical nature....
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Renewable Resources for Polyurethanes and Polyurethane Composites: A Review
PublicationEach year, more than two million tons of polyurethane is produced in the EU by reacting isocyanates with polyols made from fossil fuel. In addition, there are appreciable quantities of petroleum based functional additives applied in the industry nowadays for both polyols and polyurethane materials. It is therefore of key importance to develop sustainable economically viable polyols with enhanced functionalities, and thereby reducing...
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Updating a hospital building. A task for innovation design
PublicationRefurbishment of a hospital, especially located in a historical building, is a task that goes far beyond a standard framework of architectural practice. A concept of modularity in the architecture of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century was only just to happen, building system installations and technical equipment appeared as the simplest solutions. Inscribing complex functional solutions into such a space is an interesting...
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Phenotypic consequences of the LYS4 gene disruption in Candida albicans
PublicationThe main scientific purpose of our studies was to verify the hypothesis that homoaconitase (HA) from Candida albicans, an enzyme catalyzing a second step of the α-aminoadipate pathway (AAP) of L-Lys biosynthesis may become a new target for antifungal chemotherapy. Previous studies indicated that the A. fumigatus mutant lacking the functional lysF gene, encoding HA, exhibited attenuated virulence in a low-dose mouse infection model...
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Targeting Spike‐ACE2 Interface of SARS‐CoV‐2 and its Omicron Variant: A Comparative Screening of Potential Inhibitors for Existing and Anticipating Variants Using Molecular Modelling Approach
PublicationThe recent COVID pandemic has shown major impact on public health and economic crisis. Despite the development of many vaccines and drugs against the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus 2, the pandemic still persists. The continued spread of the virus is largely driven by the emergence of viral variants such as α, β, γ, delta, epsilon spike, omicron and its subvariants (BA.1,2,3) which can evade the current vaccines...
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Singlet oxygen in the removal of organic pollutants: An updated review on the degradation pathways based on mass spectrometry and DFT calculations
PublicationThe degradation of pollutants by a non-radical pathway involving singlet oxygen (1O2) is highly relevant in advanced oxidation processes. Photosensitizers, modified photocatalysts, and activated persulfates can generate highly selective 1O2 in the medium. The selective reaction of 1O2 with organic pollutants results in the evolution of different intermediate products. While these products can be identified using mass spectrometry...
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PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS’ ENERGY EFFICIENCY
PublicationThe payment system and infrastructure is a sector that is not given enough attention today in the context of energy efficiency. This sector plays a big role in organizing and ensuring money circulation and funds. It has its value consisting on the one hand of the cost of payment equipment, infrastructure, payment instruments. On other hand, its value consists of the cost of energy for their manufacture and maintenance. The European...
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Chitosan-based inks for 3D printing and bioprinting
PublicationThe advent of 3D-printing/additive manufacturing in biomedical engineering field has introduced great potential for the preparation of 3D structures that can mimic native tissues. This technology has accelerated the progress in numerous areas of regenerative medicine, especially led to a big wave of biomimetic functional scaffold developments for tissue engineering demands. In recent years, the introduction of smart bio-inks has...
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Synthesis of Cyano-Benzylidene Xanthene Synthons Using a Diprotic Brønsted Acid Catalyst, and Their Application as Efficient Inhibitors of Aluminum Corrosion in Alkaline Solutions
PublicationNovel cyano-benzylidene xanthene derivatives were synthesized using one-pot and condensation reactions. A diprotic Brønsted acid (i.e., oxalic acid) was used as an effective catalyst for the promotion of the synthesis process of the new starting xanthene–aldehyde compound. Different xanthene concentrations (ca. 0.1–2.0 mM) were applied as corrosion inhibitors to control the alkaline uniform corrosion of aluminum. Measurements were...
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Elastic scattering of electrons by water: An ab initio study
PublicationIn this work we devise a theoretical and computational method to compute the elastic scattering of electrons from a non-spherical potential, such as in the case of molecules and molecular aggregates. Its main feature is represented by the ability of calculating accurate wave functions for continuum states of polycentric systems via the solution of the Lippmann-Schwinger equation, including both the correlation effects and multi-scattering...
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Magnetic deep eutectic solvents as efficient media for extraction of furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from aqueous samples
PublicationThe extraction of furfural (FF) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from hydrolysates is currently one of the main challenges in bio-refinery. In this work, the separation of FF and HMF from the aqueous phase was carried out using a new type of green solvents – Magnetic Deep Eutectic Solvents (MDES). A conductor-like screening model for realistic solvents (COSMO-RS) was used for the preselection of 400 MDES. MDES which exhibit the...
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Engineering boron and nitrogen codoped carbon nanoarchitectures to tailor molecularly imprinted polymers for PFOS determination
PublicationPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have gained significant attention as emerging contaminants due to their persistence, abundance, and adverse health effects. Consequently, the urgent need for ubiquitous and effective sensors capable of detecting and quantifying PFAS in complex environmental samples has become a priority. In this study, we present the development of an ultrasensitive molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)...
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Comprehensive evaluation of the carbon footprint components of wastewater treatment plants located in the Baltic Sea region
PublicationFinland and Poland share similar environmental interests with regard to their wastewater effluents eventually being discharged to the Baltic Sea. However, differences in the influent wastewater characteristics, treatment processes, operational conditions, and carbon intensities of energy mixes in both countries make these two countries interesting for carbon footprint (CF) comparison. This study aimed at proposing a functional...
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Photoresponsive Amide-Based Derivatives of Azobenzene-4,4′-Dicarboxylic Acid—Experimental and Theoretical Studies
PublicationAzobenzene derivatives are one of the most important molecular switches for biological and material science applications. Although these systems represent a well-known group of compounds, there remains a need to identify the factors influencing their photochemical properties in order to design azobenzene-based technologies in a rational way. In this contribution, we describe the synthesis and characterization of two novel amides...
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Tool Wear Monitoring Using Improved Dragonfly Optimization Algorithm and Deep Belief Network
PublicationIn recent decades, tool wear monitoring has played a crucial role in the improvement of industrial production quality and efficiency. In the machining process, it is important to predict both tool cost and life, and to reduce the equipment downtime. The conventional methods need enormous quantities of human resources and expert skills to achieve precise tool wear information. To automatically identify the tool wear types, deep...
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Modernization of historic healthcare buildings
PublicationThe practice of transforming and adapting the existing healthcare facilities to meet the growing demands of modern medicine applies not only to buildings of historical value. Of course, one can set a time point from which hospitals, erected mostly with industrialized technologies, undergo upgrades for better or worse effect. Existing healthcare buildings or facilities, including historic ones, have to be refurbished and adapted...
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Modernisation of existing hospitals
PublicationProgress in medicine and development of medical technologies directly affect the evolution of methods for treating patients in hospitals. The main task of 19th-century hospitals was patient care and nursing, while the aim of hospitals today is to diagnose and treat patients effectively in the shortest time possible. The changes which are taking place in methods of treatment affect the functional-spatial layout of hospitals. This...
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Properties of Oxygen Vacancy and Hydrogen Interstitial Defects in Strontium Titanate: DFT + Ud,p Calculations
PublicationThis work presents extensive theoretical studies focused on the mixed ion-electron transport in cubic strontium titanate (STO). A new approach to the description of this difficult system was developed within the framework of linear-scaling Kohn–Sham density functional theory, as realized in the ONETEP program. The description we present is free of any empirical parameters and relies on the Hubbard U and Hund’s J corrections applied...
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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...
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Corrosion Resistance and Surface Bioactivity of Ti6Al4V Alloy after Finish Turning under Ecological Cutting Conditions
PublicationThe influence of cooling conditions and surface topography after finish turning of Ti6Al4V titanium alloy on corrosion resistance and surface bioactivity was analyzed. The samples were machined under dry and minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) conditions to obtain different surface roughness. The surface topographies of the processed samples were assessed and measured using an optical profilometer. The produced samples were subjected...