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Search results for: COMBINED SYSTEM
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On possible applications of media described by fractional-order models in electromagnetic cloaking
PublicationThe purpose of this paper is to open a scientific discussion on possible applications of media described by fractional-order (FO) models (FOMs) in electromagnetic cloaking. A 2-D cloak based on active sources and the surface equivalence theorem is simulated. It employs a medium described by FOM in communication with sources cancelling the scattered field. A perfect electromagnetic active cloak is thereby demonstrated with the use...
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The Toolbox of Methods for Multidirectional Characterization of Dietary Nucleic Acids; Verification for Raw and Processed Food Products
PublicationCurrently, the nutritional value of food is associated mainly with components such as proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. However, another important macromolecules present in many foods are dietary nucleic acids (dietNA), i.e., DNA as well as both coding and non-coding RNAs. In the context of food chemistry and nutrition, dietNA are nowadays vastly neglected. In consequence, there are no dedicated methodologies to characterize...
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Field Calibration of Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors Using Artificial Neural Networks and Affine Response Correction
PublicationDue to detrimental effects of atmospheric particulate matter (PM), its accurate monitoring is of paramount importance, especially in densely populated urban areas. However, precise measurement of PM levels requires expensive and sophisticated equipment. Although low-cost alternatives are gaining popularity, their reliability is questionable, attributed to sensitivity to environmental conditions, inherent instability, and manufacturing...
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Localization of impulsive disturbances in audio signals using template matching
PublicationIn this paper, a new solution to the problem of elimination of impulsive disturbances from audio signals, based on the matched filtering technique, is proposed. The new approach stems from the observation that a large proportion of noise pulses corrupting audio recordings have highly repetitive shapes that match several typical “patterns”. In many cases a representative set of exemplary pulse waveforms can be extracted from the...
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Total impact of oxidative stress genes on cardiovascular events—a 7-year follow-up study
PublicationCardiovascular (CV) events are the number one cause of lifetime disability and deaths worldwide. It is well known that traditional risk factors do not fully correlate with clinical outcomes; therefore, searching for other markers that would explain CV events occurrence seems essential. Of importance, one of the main factors at the origin of CV events is oxidative stress, causing inflammation and atherosclerotic plaque instability....
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Data Compression in Ultrasonic Network Communication via Sparse Signal Processing
PublicationThis document presents the approach of using compressed sensing in signal encoding and information transferring within a guided wave sensor network, comprised of specially designed frequency steerable acoustic transducers (FSATs). Wave propagation in a damaged plate was simulated using commercial FEM-based software COMSOL. Guided waves were excited by means of FSATs, characterized by the special shape of its electrodes, and modeled...
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Speed estimation of a car at impact with a W-beam guardrail using numerical simulations and machine learning
PublicationThis paper aimed at developing a new method of estimating the impact speed of a passenger car at the moment of a crash into a W-beam road safety barrier. The determination of such a speed based on the accident outcomes is demanding, because often there is no access to full accident data. However, accurate determination of the impact speed is one of the key elements in the reconstruction of road accidents. A machine learning algorithm...
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Multi-functional monodispersed SiO2-TiO2 core-shell nanostructure and TEOS in the consolidation of archaeological lime mortars surfaces
PublicationArchaeological traditional lime mortars are susceptible to many environmental conditions such as the impact of water (rain, humidity, groundwater, etc.), variation of temperatures' degrees, wind and/or pollution. Accordingly, this research aims to provide newly assessed multifunctional Nano-coating for the purpose of archaeological lime mortar protection. For this, the study combined physicochemical and mechanical characterizations...
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Personalized prediction of the secondary oocytes number after ovarian stimulation: A machine learning model based on clinical and genetic data
PublicationControlled ovarian stimulation is tailored to the patient based on clinical parameters but estimating the number of retrieved metaphase II (MII) oocytes is a challenge. Here, we have developed a model that takes advantage of the patient’s genetic and clinical characteristics simultaneously for predicting the stimulation outcome. Sequence variants in reproduction-related genes identified by next-generation sequencing were matched...
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FTIR, Raman spectroscopy and HT-XRD in compatibility study between naproxen and excipients
PublicationDetection of incompatibility between an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and excipients, including the selection of the most biopharmaceutical advantageous excipients is extremely important in the pre-formulation process of developing a solid dosage form technology. Therefore, having fast and reliable methods for identifying incompatibility is fundamental in pharmaceutical technology. For this purpose, combined Fourier transform...
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Influence of dissolved organic nitrogen on surface waters
PublicationThe aim of this study was to determine the susceptibility of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) contained in biologically treated wastewater disposed from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to biodegradability and bioavailability in a water environment. Additionally an evaluation was performed of the participation of this organic nitrogen fraction, including bioavailable DON (bDON), in the nitrogen balance for the Baltic...
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Effect of processing parameters on the cyclic behaviour of aluminium friction stir welded to spark plasma sintered aluminium matrix composites with bimodal micro-and nano-sized reinforcing alumina particles
PublicationUnderstanding the cyclic behaviour of Alumina reinforced Aluminium composites (Al-A2O3) was of critical importance, for their further application in the different industrial sectors. The present study is focussing on the cyclic behaviour of the Al-Alumina nanocomposite produced through the combination of spark plasma sintering (SPS) method and friction stir welding (FSW). The added Alumina with total content of 10% is the combination...
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A Vision of Sustainable Design Concepts for Upgrading Vulnerable Coastal Areas in Light of Climate Change Impacts: A Case Study from Beirut, Lebanon
PublicationRapid urbanization combined with the effects of climate change has increased the vulnerability of poor urban communities to natural hazards, particularly to informal settlements located in coastal areas. Apart from socio-economic challenges, the effects of climate change threaten the very existence of these settlements. They are particularly vulnerable due to their poor structural quality and lack of adequate infrastructure to...
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Remote measurement of building usable floor area - Algorithms fusion
PublicationRapid changes that are taking place in the urban environment have significant impact on urban growth. Most cities and urban regions all over the world compete to increase resident and visitor satisfaction. The growing requirements and rapidity of introducing new technologies to all aspects of residents' lives force cities and urban regions to implement "smart cities" concepts in their activities. Real estate is one of the principal...
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Integrated plant-wide modelling for evaluation of the energy balance and greenhouse gas footprint in large wastewater treatment plants
PublicationModern wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) should maintain a balance between three combined sustainability criteria, including effluent quality, energy performance and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. All of these criteria were considered in the integrated plant-wide model developed in this study. The proposed model incorporates new features, including: (i) the addition of associated facilities to the overall energy balance and...
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Tuning the extraction properties of ionogel-coated Solid-phase microextraction fibers based on the solvation properties of the ionic liquids
PublicationA silica-based network was used to immobilize ionic liquid-based ionogels and applied as a fiber coating forsolid-phase microextraction (SPME). The ionogels were prepared by a sol–gel process, using two ionic liquids,triethylsulfonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Set3][TFSI]) and 1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium bis(tri-fluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([C4C1Pip][TFSI]), as well as their equimolar mixture. Methyltrimethoxysilane wasused...
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ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY AND pH IN SURFACE WATER AS TOOL FOR IDENTIFICATION OF CHEMICAL DIVERSITY
PublicationIn the present study, the creeks and lakes located at the western shore of Admiralty Bay were analysed. The impact of various sources of water supply was considered, based on the parameters of temperature, pH and specific electrolytic conductivity (SEC25). All measurements were conducted during a field campaign in January-February 2017. A multivariate dataset was also created and a biplot of SEC25 and pH of the investigated waters...
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Exploring DAD and ADD Methods for Dealing with Urban Heat Island Effect
PublicationThe Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect in the context of climate change and temperature fluctuations is an increasing challenge for contemporary cities. Numerous activities focus on mitigation and adaptation to the UHI effect using both appropriately selected design strategies and technological solutions. However, not all of these technologies support the postulates of ecological and low-carbon cities. Their design, implementation,...
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Detection and time/frequency analysis of electric fields in the ground
PublicationThis paper sets out to detect and characterize electric fields in the ground (such as stray current fields) using a tandem time/frequency method of signal analysis. Results were obtained from investigations performed in the presence of a generated electric field with controlled variable characteristics, and in the presence of an electric field generated by a tramline. The analysis of measurement registers was performed using Short‐Time...
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A nosocomial outbreak of Candida parapsilosis in southern Sweden verified by genotyping
PublicationIn a haematology ward, Candida parapsilosis was found in blood cultures from 4 patients within a month. As C. parapsilosis is known to have a restricted genetic diversity, a combined methodological approach was adopted to establish a possible epidemiological relationship among the isolates (n = 9). Multilocus sequence typing and random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis suggested a clonal origin of the isolates. The clonal origin...
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The Idea of Using Bayesian Networks in Forecasting Impact of Traffic-Induced Vibrations Transmitted through the Ground on Residential Buildings
PublicationTraffic–induced vibrations may constitute a considerable load to buildings. In this paper, vibrations transmitted through the ground caused by wheeled vehicles are considered. This phenomenon may cause cracking of plaster, cracks in load-bearing elements or even, in extreme cases, collapse of the whole structure. Measurements of vibrations of real structures are costly and laborious. Therefore, the aim of the present paper is to...
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Electrostatic interactions in finite systems treated with periodic boundary conditions: Application to linear-scaling density functional theory
PublicationWe present a comparison of methods for treating the electrostatic interactions of finite, isolated systems within periodic boundary conditions (PBCs), within density functional theory (DFT), with particular emphasis on linear-scaling (LS) DFT. Often, PBCs are not physically realistic but are an unavoidable consequence of the choice of basis set and the efficacy of using Fourier transforms to compute the Hartree potential. In such...
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Epigenetic inhibitor zebularine activates ear pinna wound closure in the mouse
PublicationBackground:Most studies on regenerative medicine focus on cell-based therapies and transplantations.Small-molecule therapeutics, though proved effective in different medical conditions, have not been extensivelyinvestigated in regenerative research. It is known that healing potential decreases with development and devel-opmental changes are driven by epigenetic mechanisms, which suggests epigenetic repression of regenerativecapacity.Methods:We...
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The evaluation of COD fractionation and modeling as a key factor for appropriate optimization and monitoring of modern cost-effective activated sludge systems
PublicationA study was conducted to characterize the raw wastewater entering a modern cost effective municipal WWTP in Poland using two approaches; 1) a combination of modeling and carbonaceous oxygen demand (COD) fractionation using respirometric test coupled with model estimation (RTME) and 2) flocculation/filtration COD fractionation method combined with BOD measurements (FF-BOD). It was observed that the particulate fractions of COD obtained...
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Chemical denudation and the role of sulfide oxidation at Werenskioldbreen, Svalbard
PublicationThis study aims to determine the rate of chemical denudation and the relationships between dominant geochemical reactions operating in the proglacial and subglacial environments of the polythermal glacier Werenskioldbreen (SW Svalbard) during an entire ablation season. Water sampling for major ion chemistry was performed at a proglacial hydrometric station and from subglacial outflows from May to September 2011. These data were...
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Genetic programming extension to APF-based monocular human body pose estimation
PublicationNew method of the human body pose estimation based on a single camera 2D observation is presented, aimed at smart surveillance related video analysis and action recognition. It employs 3D model of the human body, and genetic algorithm combined with annealed particle filter for searching the global optimum of model state, best matching the object's 2D observation. Additionally, new motion cost metric is employed, considering current...
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Monitoring of odors emitted from stabilized dewatered sludge subjected to aging using proton transfer reaction–mass spectrometry
PublicationOne of the potential emission sources of odorous compounds from wastewater treatment plants is sludge processing. The odorous compounds released from dewatered sludge can result in odor nuisance. This study concerns the use of flux hood chamber combined with proton transfer reaction—time of flight—mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) technique for periodical monitoring of odorous compounds emitted from aged, stabilized dewatered sludge samples...
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Immunophenotyping and transcriptional profiling of in vitro cultured human adipose tissue derived stem cells
PublicationAdipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) have become an important research model in regenerative medicine. However, there are controversies regarding the impact of prolonged cell culture on the ASCs phenotype and their differentiation potential. Hence, we studied 10 clinical ASCs replicates from plastic and oncological surgery patients, in six-passage FBS supplemented cultures. We quantified basic mesenchymal cell surface marker transcripts...
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Pilot scale degradation study of 16 selected volatile organic compounds by hydroxyl and sulfate radical based advanced oxidation processes
PublicationThe studies of effective technologies for complete degradation of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are very important due to the high biotoxicity of the VOCs which makes the biological technologies ineffective. It also increases the risk of VOCs emission instead of their treatment when using open air biological technologies. In the present study, different types of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) were investigated for...
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Low to intermediate energy elastic electron scattering from dichloromethane (CH2Cl2)
PublicationWe report a theoretical-experimental investigation of electron scattering by dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) in the low- and intermediate energy ranges. Experimental elastic differential cross sections (DCS), in the incident electron energy range of 0.5-800 eV and scattering angle range of 10°–130°, were measured using a crossed beam relative flow technique. Integral and momentum- transfer cross sections were determined from the experimental...
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Repeated Projectile Impact Tests on Multi-Layered FibrousCementitious Composites
PublicationThis research aims to experimentally evaluate the behaviour of multi-layered fibrous cementitious composites withintermediate Glass Fibre Meshes (GFM) under repeated projectile load. The impact load was subjected through a convexedge projectile needle at a low velocity on cylindrical specimens of three-layered fibrous cementitious composites, whichhave two different steel fibre distributions. In series A mixtures, a constant steel...
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eFRADIR: An Enhanced FRAmework for DIsaster Resilience
PublicationThis paper focuses on how to increase the availability of a backbone network with minimal cost. In particular, the new framework focuses on resilience against natural disasters and is an evolution of the FRADIR/FRADIR-II framework. It targets three different directions, namely: network planning, failure modeling, and survivable routing. The steady state network planning is tackled by upgrading a sub-network (a set of links termed...
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imPlatelet classifier: image‐converted RNA biomarker profiles enable blood‐based cancer diagnostics
PublicationLiquid biopsies offer a minimally invasive sample collection, outperforming traditional biopsies employed for cancer evaluation. The widely used material is blood, which is the source of tumor-educated platelets. Here, we developed the imPlatelet classifier, which converts RNA-sequenced platelet data into images in which each pixel corresponds to the expression level of a certain gene. Biological knowledge from the Kyoto Encyclopedia...
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Simultaneous opto-electrochemical monitoring of carbamazepine and its electro-oxidation by-products in wastewater
PublicationThe growing human impact on aquatic environments, due to the extensive use of pharmaceuticals and the release of persistent pollutants, makes it necessary to implement new widespread methods for the characterisation and quantification of such contaminants and relative degradation products. Carbamazepine, 5H-dibenzo[b,f]azepine-5-carboxamide, (CBZ) is a widely used anti-epileptic drug, characterised by its limited removal by conventional...
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High-performance activation of ozone by sonocavitation for BTEX degradation in water
PublicationThis work presents a novel advanced oxidation process (AOP) for degradation of emerging organic pollutants – benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEXs) in water. A comparative study was performed for sonocavitation assisted ozonation under 40–120 kHz and 80–200 kHz dual frequency ultrasounds (DFUS). Based on the obtained results, the combination of 40–120 kHz i.e., low-frequency US (LFDUS) with O3 exhibited excellent oxidation...
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Injectable biocomposite cement: A dual-setting formula with magnesium potassium phosphate and κ-carrageenan hydrogel for orthopedic advancements
PublicationMagnesium phosphate-based cements are highly regarded for their bioactive properties, making them excellent candidates as bone substitutes. Despite their promising attributes, challenges such as high reaction temperature, limited injectability, and brittleness limit their application. This study introduces a dual-setting biocomposite cement, which encompasses both cement hydration and hydrogel's cross-linking. The composition features...
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D-Band High Gain Planer Slot Array Antenna using Gap Waveguide Technology
PublicationA D-band high gain slot array antenna with corporate-fed distribution network based on gap waveguide structures is proposed at 140GHz. To overcome the fabrication challenges at such high frequency, the gap waveguide technology is deployed in which good electrical contact between different parts of the waveguide structure is not required. The proposed sub-array has four radiating slots that are excited by a groove gap cavity and...
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Upward convergence patterns in chosen environmental-related SDGs
PublicationSustainable development is a challenge facing humanity. EU countries not only strive to reach their specific objectives, but they also work collaboratively towards shared goals. There is a need to balance synergies and compromises to address these objectives effectively. When discussing countries' development and people's well-being, one often focuses on socio-economic development. However, it is crucial not to overlook the environmental...
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CHEMOTHERAPY-MEDIATED COMPLICATIONS OF WOUND HEALING. AN UNDERSTUDIED SIDE EFFECT
PublicationSignificance: Chemotherapy is a primary method to treat cancer, but while cytotoxic drugs are designed to target rapidly dividing cancer cells, they can also affect other cell types, including dermal cells and macrophages involved in wound healing, which often leads to the development of chronic wounds. The situation becomes even more severe when chemotherapy is combined with surgical tumor excision. Recent advances: Despite its...
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Theoretical and experimental analysis of guided wave propagation in plate-like structures with sinusoidal thickness variations
PublicationGuided waves have attracted significant attention for non-destructive testing (NDT) and structural health monitoring (SHM) due to their ability to travel relatively long distances without significant energy loss combined with their sensitivity to even small defects. Therefore, they are commonly used in damage detection and localization applications. The main idea of incorporating guided waves in NDT and SHM is based on processing...
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Multi-fidelity robust aerodynamic design optimization under mixed uncertainty
PublicationThe objective of this paper is to present a robust optimization algorithm for computationally efficient airfoil design under mixed (inherent and epistemic) uncertainty using a multi-fidelity approach. This algorithm exploits stochastic expansions derived from the Non-Intrusive Polynomial Chaos (NIPC) technique to create surrogate models utilized in the optimization process. A combined NIPC expansion approach is used, where both...
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Chemical Pressure Tuning Magnetism from Pyrochlore to Triangular Lattices
PublicationGeometrically frustrated lattices combined with magnetism usually host quantum fluctuations that suppress magnetic orders and generate highly entangled ground states. Three-dimensionally (3D) frustrated magnets generally exist in the diamond and pyrochlore lattices, while two-dimensionally (2D) frustrated geometries contain Kagomé, triangular, and honeycomb lattices. In this work, we reported using chemical pressure to tune the magnetism...
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Machine learning-based seismic fragility and seismic vulnerability assessment of reinforced concrete structures
PublicationMany studies have been performed to put quantifying uncertainties into the seismic risk assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) buildings. This paper provides a risk-assessment support tool for purpose of retrofitting and potential design strategies of RC buildings. Machine Learning (ML) algorithms were developed in Python software by innovative methods of hyperparameter optimization, such as halving search, grid search, random...
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BODIPY‐Perylene Charge Transfer Compounds; Sensitizers for Triplet‐Triplet Annihilation Up‐conversion
PublicationBODIPY heterochromophores, asymmetrically substituted with perylene and/or iodine at the 2 and 6 positions were prepared and investigated as sensitizers for triplet-triplet annihilation up conversion (TTA-UC). Single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analyses show that the torsion angle between BODIPY and perylene units lie between 73.54 and 74.51, though they are not orthogonal. Both compounds show intense, charge transfer absorption...
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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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Ground lemon and stevia leaves as renewable functional fillers with antioxidant activity for high-density polyethylene composites
PublicationThe development of new sustainable material solutions in the processing of thermoplastic polymers concerns both the application of biopolymers and the use of valorized plant derivatives as fillers and modifiers of petrochemical polymers. Herein, the possibility of using unprocessed raw parts of two commonly used in the food industry leaves, i.e., lemon (LL) and stevia (ST), as active and functional fillers for high-density polyethylene...
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Strategies for Dealing With Software Product Management Challenges
PublicationSoftware product management, which involves multiple processes and responsibilities and links to many activities within the organisation, increases the success rate of IT projects. However, the adoption of product management activities and the implementation of the software product manager role itself varies between companies. This research explores the topic of software product managers’ strategies for dealing with challenges...
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Biochemical assays of intensified methane content in biogas from low-temperature processing of waste activated sludge
PublicationAnaerobic digestion (AD) is implemented as an important ‘waste to energy’ approach for converting organic-rich byproducts such as sewage sludge into biogas and nutrient-rich digestate. Sewage sludge consists of primary sludge and waste activated sludge (WAS), and low biodegradability of WAS limits methane production. This study presents the influence of the low-temperature pretreatment (LT-PT) of WAS on the efficiency of AD. Different...
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Fabrication of the cross-linked PVA/TiO2/C nanocomposite membrane for alkaline direct methanol fuel cells
PublicationA crosslinked Poly(vinyl alcohol) based composite membrane was developed through a phase inversion process for use in alkaline direct methanol fuel cells (ADMFCs). The titanium dioxide (TiO2) and carbon nanoparticles (NPs) have been incorporated into the PVA polymer matrix to improve the mechanical and thermal properties. The membrane samples were further modified with maleic acid, a carboxylic acid acting as the cross-linker,...
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Enhanced electrochemical activity of boron-doped nanocarbon functionalized reticulated vitreous carbon structures for water treatment applications
PublicationAn extraordinary charge transfer kinetics and chemical stability make a boron-doped diamond (BDD) a prom- ising material for electrochemical applications including wastewater treatment. Yet, with flat geometrical sur- faces its scaling options are limited. In this study, the reticulated Vitreous Carbon (RVC) served as a substrate for boron-doped diamondized nanocarbons (BDNC) film growth resulting with complex heterogeneity carbon structures...