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Search results for: ENHANCED SURFACE
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Design and Experimental Validation of a Metamaterial-Based Sensor for Microwave Imaging in Breast, Lung, and Brain Cancer Detection
PublicationThis study proposes an innovative geometry of a microstrip sensor for high-resolution microwave imaging (MWI). The main intended application of the sensor is early detection of breast, lung, and brain cancer. The proposed design consists of a microstrip patch antenna fed by a coplanar waveguide with a metamaterial layer-based lens implemented on the back side, and an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) realized on as a separate...
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A hierarchical porous composite magnetic sorbent of reduced graphene oxide embedded in polyvinyl alcohol cryogel for solvent‐assisted‐solid phase extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
PublicationA hierarchical porouscomposite magnetic sorbent was fabricated and applied tothe dispersive solvent-assisted solid-phase extraction of five polycyclic aromatichydrocarbons. A sorbent was first prepared by incorporating graphene oxide,calcium carbonate, and magnetite nanoparticles into a polyvinyl alcohol cryo-gel. The graphene oxide was converted to reduced graphene oxide using ascorbicacid and a hierarchical porous structure was...
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The dose-dependet influence of zinc and cadmium contamination of soil on their uptake and glucosinolate content in white cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. alba)
PublicationThe relationship between the ability to accumulate heavy metals (represented by Cd and Zn) and to synthesize bioactive compounds (represented by glucosinolates[GLS]) was investigated in two cabbage cultivars. Plants were grown in the greenhouse of a phytotron under controlled conditions in soils spiked with two different Zn or Cd concentrations. The measurements of Cd and Zn contents in soil and cabbage (leaf) samples were performed...
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Iridium 5d -electron driven superconductivity in ThIr3
PublicationA polycrystalline sample of superconducting ThI r 3 was obtained by arc-melting Th and Ir metals. Powder x-ray diffraction revealed that the compound crystalizes in a rhombohedral crystal structure (R-3m, s.g. #166) with the lattice parameters: a = 5.3394 ( 1 ) Å and c = 26.4228 ( 8 ) Å . Normal and superconducting states were studied by magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, and heat capacity measurements. The results...
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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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In Situ Random Microseeding and Streak Seeding Used for Growth of Crystals of Cold-Adapted beta-D-Galactosidases: Crystal Structure of betaDG from Arthrobacter sp. 32cB
PublicationThere is an increasing demand for cold-adapted enzymes in a wide range of industrial branches. Nevertheless, structural information about them is still scarce. The knowledge of crystal structures is important to understand their mode of action and to design genetically engineered enzymes with enhanced activity. The most difficult task and the limiting step in structural studies of cold-adapted enzymes is their crystallization,...
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Fully Isohexide-Based Polyesters: Synthesis, Characterization, and Structure-Properties Relations
PublicationHere we present a novel series of biobasedpolyesters solely based on renewable isohexide building blocks,synthesized via melt polymerization. The recently developedisoidide dicarboxylic acid (IIDCA) was polymerized with rigidrenewable diols such as isosorbide (IS), isomannide (IM),isoidide (II), and the novel 2,5-methylene-extended isoididedimethanol (IIDML). Both IIDCA and IIDML weredeveloped to increase the reactivity of the...
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Preparation and structure of nanocrystalline sol-gel derived Cu doped LiTi2O4 powders
PublicationAmong the spinel oxides materials, lithium titanate (Li1+xTi2-xO4 where 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.33) could be very interested from pratical applications point of view. Lithium titanate is a II type spinel oxide superconductor with relatively high (~13 K for x = 0) superconducting transition temperature Tc. Above Tc lithium titanate shows metallic behaviour and can be used e.g. as electrodes for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Since the discovery...
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Modeling hydrolysis of slowly biodegradable organic compounds in biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems
PublicationHydrolysis is an important process in biological wastewater treatment and is known to be the ratelimiting step in organic carbon removal from municipal or industrial wastewater. The influence of the readily biodegradable chemical oxygen demand fraction in biological wastewater treatment systems has been extensively investigated, but little is known about the effects of slowly biodegradable substrate (XS) on denitrification and...
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Transcriptome profiling reveals distinctive traits of retinol metabolism and neonatal parallels in the MRL/MpJ mouse
PublicationBackground: The MRL/MpJ mouse is a laboratory inbred strain known for regenerative abilities which are manifested by scarless closure of ear pinna punch holes. Enhanced healing responses have been reported in other organs. A remarkable feature of the strain is that the adult MRL/MpJ mouse retains several embryonic biochemical characteristics, including increased expression of stem cell markers. Results: We explored the transcriptome...
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Greedy Multipoint Model-Order Reduction Technique for Fast Computation of Scattering Parameters of Electromagnetic Systems
PublicationThis paper attempts to develop a new automated multipoint model-order reduction (MOR) technique, based on matching moments of the system input–output function, which would be suited for fast and accurate computation of scattering parameters for electromagnetic (EM) systems over a wide frequency band. To this end, two questions are addressed. Firstly, the cost of the wideband reduced model generation is optimized by automating a...
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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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Tailoring of SiOC composition as a way to better performing anodes for Li-ion batteries
PublicationPolymer derived silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) ceramics are investigated as potential anodes for lithiumion batteries. Different SiOC ceramics are prepared by pyrolysis (1000 °C and 1400 °C under controlled argon atmosphere) of polysiloxanes ceramic precursors. Preceramic polymers are synthesized using the sol–gel method. Phenyltriethoxysilane (PhTES) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) have been used as starting precursors and mixed with...
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Transparent nanocomposite coatings based on epoxy and layered double hydroxide: Nonisothermal cure kinetics and viscoelastic behavior assessments
PublicationLayered double hydroxide (LDH) has a particular place in clay family because of its flame retardant action. The nanoplatelet-like structure of LDH makes possible development of polymer composites with cationic or anionic nature structures in which macromolecules are positioned in between nanoplatelet galleries. In this work, neat epoxy and its transparent nanocomposite coatings with sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS)-modified...
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Effect of ground tire rubber on structural, mechanical and thermal properties of flexible polyurethane foams
PublicationFlexible polyurethane foams were modified with two kinds of ground tire rubber, untreated and thermo-mechanically reclaimed. A reclamation process was performed in auto-thermal conditions, which reduced the cost of the process and decreased the environmental impact of devulcanization (e.g., emission of gases). The reclamation process was carried out in a continuous manner using a co-rotating twin screw extruder. The foams were...
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Sustainable upcycling of brewers’ spent grain by thermo-mechanical treatment in twin-screw extruder
PublicationThermo-mechanical treatment of brewers’ spent grain (a by-product of beer manufacturing) was successfully performed via the extrusion process. The impact of temperature (from 30 to 180 °C), throughput (from 1 to 5 kg/h) and screw speed (from 75 to 375 rpm) on particle size, color, chemical structure, antioxidant activity and thermal stability of resulting material, as well as correlations between particular properties, were investigated....
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Thermoplastic starch nanocomposites using cellulose-rich Chrysopogon zizanioides nanofibers
PublicationGreen thermoplastic starch (TPS) nanocomposite films aided by cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) from Chrysopogon zizanioides roots were developed and characterized. When compared to other lignocellulosic fibers, Chrysopogon zizanioides roots revealed exceptionally high cellulose content (~48%). CNFs were separated using an environmentally friendly acid isolation technique that included three stages: (i) alkali treatment; (ii) bleaching;...
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Advanced Control With PLC—Code Generator for aMPC Controller Implementation and Cooperation With External Computational Server for Dealing With Multidimensionality, Constraints and LMI Based Robustness
PublicationThe manufacturers of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) usually equip their products with extremely simple control algorithms, such as PID and on-off regulators. However, modern PLCs have much more efficient processors and extensive memory, which enables implementing more sophisticated controllers. The paper discusses issues related to the implementation of matrix operations, time limitations for code execution within one PLC...
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Imunofan—RDKVYR Peptide—Stimulates Skin Cell Proliferation and Promotes Tissue Repair
PublicationRegeneration and wound healing are vital to tissue homeostasis and organism survival. One of the biggest challenges of today’s science and medicine is finding methods and factors to stimulate these processes in the human body. Effective solutions to promote regenerative responses will accelerate advances in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, transplantology, and a number of other clinical specialties. In this study, we...
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Carbon nanoarchitectures as high-performance electrodes for the electrochemical oxidation of landfill leachate
PublicationNanomaterials and assemblies of the aforementioned into complex architectures constitute an opportunity to design efficient and selective solutions to wide spread and emerging environmental issues. The limited disposal of organic matter in modern landfills generates extremely concentrated leachates characterised by high concentrations of refractory compounds. Conventional biochemical treatment methods are unsuitable, while advanced...
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Cost-Efficient Bi-Layer Modeling of Antenna Input Characteristics Using Gradient Kriging Surrogates
PublicationOver the recent years, surrogate modeling has been playing an increasing role in the design of antenna structures. The main incentive is to mitigate the issues related to high cost of electromagnetic (EM)-based procedures. Among the various techniques, approximation surrogates are the most popular ones due to their flexibility and easy access. Notwithstanding, data-driven modeling of antenna characteristics is associated with serious...
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A Single-Carrier-Based Pulse-Width Modulation Template for Cascaded H-Bridge Multilevel Inverters
PublicationMultiplicity of the triangular carrier signals is a criterion for the extension of sinusoidal pulsewidth modulation, SPWM, to a number of output voltage levels per phase-leg in cascaded H-bridge (CHB) multilevel inverter (MLI). Considering medium and high voltage applications where appreciable number of output voltage levels from CHB MLI is needed, commensurate high number of carrier signals in either classical level- or phase-shifted...
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Corporate social responsibility and forward default risk mediated by financial performance and goodwill
PublicationIn today’s business environment, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an increasingly significant factor for firms. This study is driven by the motivation to add to the current literature by investigating the mediating elements that explain the relationship between CSR and forward default risk. In this paper, we attempt to identify the important mediators and give a more comprehensive explanation of this connection...
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A New Approach of Solidification Analysis in Modular Latent Thermal Energy Storage Unit Based on Image Processing
PublicationThe solidification process of RT18HC in a cylindrical shell and tube storage unit has been studied using a new methodology based on image processing. The main idea of the algorithm is to label the region of solidification and use statistical functions to calculate the dimensions of the solidification front over time. Said analysis includes two methods. The first method is to measure the solid fraction changes during solidification....
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Building Confidence and Trust in Ireland's National Maternity Services Workforce –What matters most and how?
PublicationNational surveys on care experiences are increasingly adopted as regulatory mechanisms for improving care quality and increasing public trust in healthcare services. Based on data collected as part of Ireland's 2020 National Maternity Experience Survey, this study investigates care-related factors that contribute most to confidence and trust in the professional workforce (or carers) within Irish maternity services. The survey covered...
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Management Strategy for Seaports Aspiring to Green Logistical Goals of IMO: Technology and Policy Solutions
PublicationRecently, because of serious global challenges including the consumption of energy and climate change, there has been an increase in interest in the environmental effect of port operations and expansion. More interestingly, a strategic tendency in seaport advancement has been to manage the seaport system using a model which balances environmental volatility and economic development demands. An energy efficient management system...
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Reduction of CO2 Emissions from Offshore Combined Cycle Diesel Engine-Steam Turbine Power Plant Powered by Alternative Fuels
PublicationDiverse forms of environmental pollution arise with the introduction of materials or energy that exert adverse effects on human health, climate patterns, ecosystems, and beyond. Rigorous emission regulations for gases resulting from fuel combustion are being enforced by the European Union and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), directed at maritime sectors to mitigate emissions of SOx, NOx, and CO2. The IMO envisions...
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An overview of fermentation in the food industry - looking back from a new perspective
PublicationFermentation is thought to be born in the Fertile Crescent, and since then, almost every culture has integrated fermented foods into their dietary habits. Originally used to preserve foods, fermentation is now applied to improve their physicochemical, sensory, nutritional, and safety attributes. Fermented dairy, alcoholic beverages like wine and beer, fermented vegetables, fruits, and meats are all highly valuable due to their...
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Design and Synthesis of NTU-9/C3N4 Photocatalysts: Effects of NTU-9 Content and Composite Preparation Method
PublicationHybrid materials based on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and NTU-9 metal–organic frameworks (MOF) were designed and prepared via solvothermal synthesis and calcination in air. The as-prepared photocatalysts were subsequently characterized using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy...
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IFI16 Impacts Metabolic Reprogramming during Human Cytomegalovirus Infection
PublicationCellular lipid metabolism plays a pivotal role in human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection, as increased lipogenesis in HCMV-infected cells favors the envelopment of newly synthesized viral particles. As all cells are equipped with restriction factors (RFs) able to exert a protective effect against invading pathogens, we asked whether a similar defense mechanism would also be in place to preserve the metabolic compartment from HCMV...
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Degradation of tetracycline antibiotic utilizing light driven-activated oxone in the presence of g-C3N4/ZnFe LDH binary heterojunction nanocomposite
PublicationIn the present study, a binary heterojunction nanocomposite composed of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and Zn/Fe-contained layered double hydroxide (ZnFe LDH) was employed as heterogeneous catalyst for the decomposition of tetracycline (TC) antibiotic utilizing Oxone and UV light irradiation. The sole use of g-C3N4/ZnFe LDH as adsorbent led to the negligible elimination of TC. In addition, the sole use of Oxone or UV (photolysis)...
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Keratin-Butyrate Scaffolds Promote Skin Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats Through Down-Regulation of IL-1β and Up-Regulation of Keratins 16 and 17
PublicationImpaired wound healing particularly in diabetics creates a significant healthcare burden. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of keratin-butyrate fibers (FKDP +0.1%NaBu) in a full-thickness skin wound model in 30 diabetic rats. Physicochemical examination showed that the obtained dressing possesses a heterogeneous structure and butyrate was slowly released into the wound. Moreover, the obtained dressing is nontoxic and supports...
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Deep eutectic solvents – A new platform in membrane fabrication and membrane-assisted technologies
PublicationDeep eutectic solvents (DESs) are a new class of solvents that can offset some of the primary drawbacks of typical solvents and ionic liquids (ILs). Since DESs fall into the guidelines of “Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry”, their implementation in several types of applications has exponentially increased over the last years. The usage of DESs has been directed to the designing, manufacture and purification of new materials...
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Rapid Variable-Resolution Parameter Tuning of Antenna Structures Using Frequency-Based Regularization and Sparse Sensitivity Updates
PublicationGeometry parameter tuning is an inherent part of antenna design process. While most often performed in a local sense, it still entails considerable computational expenses when carried out at the level of full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulation models. Moreover, the optimization outcome may be impaired if good initial design is not available. This paper proposes a novel approach to fast and improved-reliability gradient-based...
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Advanced Oxidation Processes for Degradation of Water Pollutants—Ambivalent Impact of Carbonate Species: A Review
PublicationAdvanced oxidation processes (AOPs) hold great promise in the removal of organic contaminants. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced in AOPs react with target pollutants to initially form several intermediate compounds that finally undergo complete mineralization. Such observations are reported, especially for laboratory-scale experiments performed in pure water. On the other hand, while considering real contaminated wastewater...
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The effects of gas exposure on the graphene/AlGaN/GaN heterostructure under UV irradiation
PublicationThis work demonstrates a graphene/AlGaN/GaN sensing device with two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) toward nitrogen dioxide (NO2), tetrahydrofuran, and acetone detection under UV light irradiation. We propose combining measurements of the DC characteristics with a fluctuation-enhanced sensing method to provide insight into the gas detection mechanisms in the synergistic structure of highly stable GaN and gas-sensitive graphene....
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The Use of Organic Coagulants in the Primary Precipitation Process at Wastewater Treatment Plants
PublicationMeasurements for determining the effect of chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) on the efficiency of pollutant removal from wastewater were carried out using conventional inorganic coagulants PIX113 with polymer A110 (Kemipol, Police, Poland) and unconventional cationic organic coagulants Cofloc (Attana, Coalville, UK) C29510 (Kemipol, Police, Poland) and Sedifloc 575 (3F Chimica, Sandrigo, Italy). The average removal efficiency...
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Chemical structures, rheological and physical properties of biopolyols prepared via solvothermal liquefaction of Enteromorpha and Zostera marina biomass
PublicationIn this work, liquefied biomass from the Baltic Sea was used for the preparation of rigid polyurethane (PUR) foams. The biomass contained 10 wt% of Enteromorpha macroalgae and 90 wt% of Zostera marina seagrass characterized by a high content of cellulose. The influence of time, temperature and the type of solvent on the efficiency of the liquefaction process and properties of biopolyols was determined. Obtained materials were analyzed...
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Nanobiocatalysis for biofuel production
PublicationThe human race is relied on the use of conventional and non-renewable energy resources like fossil fuels for centuries. With the rising environmental issues linked with the use of these conventional energy resources, the trend soon shifted towards more robust and sustainable energy resources. In this regard, the different generations of biofuels have revolutionized the industrial sector by ensuring an eco-friendly and more economical...
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Mechanical performance investigations of a post-tensioned inter-module connection in steel buildings
PublicationConnections in modular steel structures are critical for maintaining structural integrity and facilitating ease of installation. Traditional methods, such as on-site welding, require adherence to complex technical specifications. In contrast, post-tensioned steel bolts offer a viable alternative by potentially reducing on-site labor by up to 50 %, providing substantial strength and simplifying assembly. To accurately assess the...
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The impact of training and neurotrophins on functional recovery after spinal cord transection: cellular and molecular mechanisms contributing to motor improvement
PublicationBeneficial effects of locomotor training on the functional recovery after complete transection of the spinal cord indicate that in chronic spinal animals spontaneous recovery processes are enhanced and shaped by the training. The mechanisms of that use-dependent improvement are still not fully understood. This review tackles three aspects of this issue: (1) neurochemical attributes of functional improvement...
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Imunofan - RDKVYR peptide - stimulates skin cell proliferation and promotes tissue repair
PublicationRegeneration and wound healing are vital to tissue homeostasis and organism survival. One of the biggest challenges of today's science and medicine is finding methods and factors to stimulate these processes in the human body. Effective solutions to promote regenerative responses will accelerate advances in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, transplantology, and a number of other clinical...
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Development and evaluation of thermosensitive hydrogels with binary mixture of Scutellariae baicalensis radix extract and chitosan for periodontal diseases treatment.
PublicationScutellaria baicalensis root displays anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties due to the presence of flavonoids, particularly baicalin, baicalein, and wogonin. Our work aimed at developing thermosensitive hydrogels containing a binary mixture of S. baicalensis radix lyophilized extract and chitosan as a novel approach for periodontal diseases treatment....
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RAGN-R: A multi-subject ensemble machine-learning method for estimating mechanical properties of advanced structural materials
PublicationThe utilization of advanced structural materials, such as preplaced aggregate concrete (PAC), fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC), and FRC beams has revolutionized the field of civil engineering. These materials exhibit enhanced mechanical properties compared to traditional construction materials, offering engineers unprecedented opportunities to optimize the design, construction, and performance of structures and infrastructures....
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Dual-band Millimetre Wave MIMO Antenna with Reduced Mutual Coupling Based on Optimized Parasitic Structure and Ground Modification
PublicationIn this study, a high-isolation dual-band (28/38 GHz) multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) antenna for 5G millimeter-wave applications is presented. The antenna consists of two interconnected patches. The primary patch is connected to the inset feed, while the secondary patch is arc-shaped and positioned over the main patch, opposite to the feed. Both patches function in the lower 28 GHz band, while the primary patch is accountable...
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Creep rupture study of dissimilar welded joints of P92 and 304L steels
PublicationThe present work investigates the high-temperature tensile and creep properties of the dissimilar metal weld joints of 304L austenitic stainless steel (SS) and P92 creep strength-enhanced ferritic-martensitic (CSEF/M) steel under diferent testing condition. Thermanit MTS 616 fller rod (P92 fller) and the multi-pass tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding process were used to create the dissimilar weld connection. The ultimate tensile...
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A Mammography Data Management Application for Federated Learning
PublicationThis study aimed to develop and assess an application designed to enhance the management of a local client database consisting of mammographic images with a focus on ensuring that images are suitably and uniformly prepared for federated learning applications. The application supports a comprehensive approach, starting with a versatile image-loading function that supports DICOM files from various medical imaging devices and settings....
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FEM simulations applied to the failure analysis of RC structure under the influence of municipal sewage pressure
PublicationThe paper discusses a failure mechanism of reinforced concrete (RC) structure with steel cover that failed under the influence of municipal sewage pressure. To explain the reasons of failure, in-situ measurements, laboratory experiments and comprehensive Finite Element Method (FEM) computations were performed. Non-destructive in-situ scanning tests were carried out to determine quantity and cover thickness of embedded reinforcement...
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A Comprehensive Approach to Azo Dichlorotriazine Dye Treatment: Assessing the Impact of Physical, Chemical, and Biological Treatment Methods through Statistical Analysis of Experimental Data
PublicationThis exploration investigates integrated treatment systems combining advanced oxidation processes (Fenton and photo-Fenton) with biological methods for the effective elimination of stubborn organic compounds in simulated textile wastewater composed of azo Dichlorotriazine dye. A comprehensive optimization of key process factors including catalyst dosage, hydrogen peroxide quantity, irradiation duration, etc. was systematically...
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Photocatalytically Active TiO2/Ag2O Nanotube Arrays Interlaced with Silver Nanoparticles Obtained from the One-Step Anodic Oxidation of Ti–Ag Alloys
PublicationThe development of a photocatalyst with remarkable activity to degrade pollutants in aqueous and gas phase requires visible lightresponsive stable materials, easily organized in the form of a thin layer (to exclude the highly expensive separation step). In this work, we present a one-step strategy for synthesizing material in the form of a self-organized TiO2/Ag2O nanotube (NT) array interlaced with silver nanoparticles (as in a...