Search results for: ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
-
Endothelial Dysfunction Driven by Hypoxia—The Influence of Oxygen Deficiency on NO Bioavailability
PublicationCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. The initial stage of CVDs is characterized by endothelial dysfunction, defined as the limited bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO). Thus, any factors that interfere with the synthesis or metabolism of NO in endothelial cells are involved in CVD pathogenesis. It is well established that hypoxia is both the triggering factor as well as the accompanying factor...
-
Structural Changes and Their Implications in Foamed Flexible Polyurethane Composites Filled with Rapeseed Oil-Treated Ground Tire Rubber
PublicationThe utilization of post-consumer car tires is an essential issue from an ecological andeconomic point of view. One of the simplest and the least harmful methods is their material recyclingresulting in ground tire rubber (GTR), which can be further applied as fillers for polymer-basedcomposites. Nevertheless, insufficient interfacial interactions implicate the necessity of GTR modi-fication before introduction into polymer matrices....
-
The Application of Granulated Expanded Glass Aggregate with Cement Grout as an Alternative Solution for Sub-Grade and Frost-Protection Sub-Base Layer in Road Construction
PublicationThe purpose of the research was to assess the possibility of using granulated expanded glass aggregate (GEGA) with cement grout as a replacement of a sub-grade and frost-protection layer, made of natural fine aggregates (NATU), stabilized with a hydraulic binder. Instead of traditional parts of the road construction, such as the sub-grade and frost-protection layer with the application of fine aggregate, stabilized with cement,...
-
Artificial Intelligence in the Diagnosis of Onychomycosis—Literature Review
PublicationOnychomycosis is a common fungal nail infection that is difficult to diagnose due to its similarity to other nail conditions. Accurate identification is essential for effective treatment. The current gold standard methods include microscopic examination with potassium hydroxide, fungal cultures, and Periodic acid-Schiff biopsy staining. These conventional techniques, however, suffer from high turnover times, variable sensitivity,...
-
Selected symmetrically substituted carbazoles: Investigation of anticancer activity and mechanisms of action at the cellular and molecular levels
PublicationDNA topoisomerases play a critical role as essential enzymes in controlling alterations in the topology of DNA. They achieve this by orchestrating the coordinated process of breaking and rejoining DNA strands, which is crucial for maintaining the proper structure of DNA during regular cellular development. The search for and development of new potential anticancer drugs is a challenging yet immensely important area of research...
-
A new anisotropic bending model for nonlinear shells: Comparison with existing models and isogeometric finite element implementation
PublicationA new nonlinear hyperelastic bending model for shells formulated directly in surface form is presented, and compared to four existing prominent bending models. Through an essential set of elementary nonlinear bending test cases, the membrane and bending stresses of each model are examined analytically. Only the proposed bending model passes all the test cases, while the other bending models either fail or only pass the test cases for...
-
Spectrum Sensing Based on Hybrid Spectrum Handoff in Cognitive Radio Networks
PublicationThe rapid advancement of wireless communication combined with insufficient spectrum exploitation opens the door for the expansion of novel wireless services. Cognitive radio network (CRN) technology makes it possible to periodically access the open spectrum bands, which in turn improves the effectiveness of CRNs. Spectrum sensing (SS), which allows unauthorized users to locate open spectrum bands, plays a fundamental part in CRNs....
-
Suppressors of lapC mutation identify new regulators of LpxC, which mediates the first committed step in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis
PublicationGram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, are characterized by an asymmetric outer membrane (OM) with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) located in the outer leaflet and phospholipids facing the inner leaflet. E. coli recruits LPS assembly proteins LapB, LapC and LapD in concert with FtsH protease to ensure a balanced biosynthesis of LPS and phospholipids. We recently reported that bacteria either lacking the periplasmic domain of...
-
Tailoring optical constants of few-layer black phosphorus coatings: Spectroscopic ellipsometry approach supported by ab-initio simulation
Publication2D black phosphorus (BP) has attracted extensive attention as an anisotropic platform for novel optoelectronic and polarizing optics applications. Insight into the factors that tune the optical and polarizing properties of 2D BP reveals their essential influence on BP-based photonic and optoelectronic devices. In this work, studies of the optical constants of few-layer black phosphorus coatings are studied and discussed, with particular...
-
Biomolecular influenza virus detection based on the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy using the nanocrystalline boron-doped diamond electrodes with covalently bound antibodies
PublicationNew rapid pathogen detection methods with improved cost-effectiveness and efficiency are currently in the focus of the scientists from all over the world. Based on the experiences from the rapid spread of the influenza virus pandemic in 2009 it is clear that the development of the system for early diagnosis of this infection is essential. The crucial stage of the treatment is the detection of the viral infection during its initial...
-
BASICS OF THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR TRANSFORMATIONS OF PRODUCTION PLANNING AND CONTROL PROCESSES
PublicationIntensive development of technologies, in particular of the spinotronics, nanotechnology, robotics, and ICT, shapes the new generation production systems. Their distinctive feature is the flexi-bility associated with production intelligence. It is required from all processes, including the production planning and control processes (PPCP). The article is of conceptual character. It was prepared based on literature research. It encompasses...
-
A framework estimating the minimum sample size and margin of error for maritime quantitative risk analysis
PublicationThe average accident frequency is essential for quantitative risk analysis and is conventionally estimated from accident statistics. This paper has systematically synthesised the knowledge on statistical errors and offered the missing instructions, a framework, for determining the minimum sample size and the margin of error (MOE) when calculating the average accident frequency from an accident database at hand. We have applied...
-
A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN 3D PRINTING FOR CONSTRUCTION: CURRENT STATE, BENEFITS, LIMITATIONS, AND FUTURE OUTLOOK
PublicationThe agenda of Industry 4.0 strongly affects design and construction at all its phases, and three-Dimensional Printing (3DP) is an essential part of it. The emerging technology has the potential to become a more valid and accepted form of construction. This research is based on a literature review regarding the relationships between the concepts of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and energy efficiency for 3DP in construction research...
-
Regulated Control of the Assembly and Diversity of LPS by Noncoding sRNAs
PublicationThe outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria is asymmetric due to the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) facing the outer leaflet of the OM and phospholipids facing the periplasmic side. LPS is essential for bacterial viability, since it provides a permeability barrier and is a major virulence determinant in pathogenic bacteria. In Escherichia coli, several steps of LPS biosynthesis and assembly are regulated by the RpoE...
-
Evaluation of candidate reference material obtained from selenium - enriched sprouts for the purpose of selenium speciation analysis
PublicationSelenium is an essential element in animals and humans. Diet supplementation with selenium-rich vegetables has better chemoprotective effect than Se (IV) and SeMet. The production of selenium-enriched vegetables requires a preliminary stage in soil preparation, which may subsequently pose a risk of soil contamination. It seems that the sprouting of seeds under controlled conditions would be a good solution for delivering SeMetSeCys...
-
Structural and dynamic insights on the EmrE protein with TPP+ and related substrates through molecular dynamics simulations
PublicationEmrE is a bacterial transporter protein that forms an anti-parallel homodimer with four transmembrane helices in each monomer. EmrE transports positively charged aromatic compounds, such as TPP+ and its derivatives. We performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of EmrE in complex with TPP+, MeTPP+, and MBTPP+ embedded in a membrane. The detailed molecular properties and interactions were analysed for all EmrE-ligand complexes....
-
Homogeneity study of candidate reference material (contaminated soil) based on determination of selected metals, PCBs and PAHs
PublicationReference materials (RMs) are an indispensable part of QA/QC system and have played a critical role in the continual expansion of analytical capabilities of the analytical laboratories. The homogeneity study of the candidate for reference material is essential for the quality of reference material (certified reference material) used in quality assurance activities. The homogeneity study of candidate for reference materials of contaminated...
-
Epidemiological study of Toxoplasma gondii infection among cattle in Northern Poland
PublicationToxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is a significant disease in livestock and humans. Because of medical and veterinary importance it is essential to study the prevalence of T. gondii infection among human and animals in various parts of the word. In this study, 4033 cattle from eight provinces of Northern Poland (belonging to 190 herds) were tested for IgG antibodies against T. gondii by an in-house ELISA technique based...
-
ON EGNOS MONITORING IN LOCAL CONDITIONS
PublicationAny SBAS system should deliver to the user corrections to pseudoranges as well as information about the system integrity. In theory, as soon as the system is permanently monitored by RIMS stations, it is impossible to deliver the fault information to the user. However many observations shows that accuracy of EGNOS service in the same time are different in different places, which shows the influence of local conditions on them....
-
Dynamic Modeling of COVID-19 Disease with Impact of Lockdown in Pakistan and Malaysia
PublicationBeing researchers, it is an utmost responsibility to provide insight on social issues thus, this work addresses the dynamic modeling of first and most contagious disease named as COVID-19 caused by coronavirus. The first case of COVID-19 appeared in Pakistan was on 26th February 2020 and in Malaysia on 27th February 2020; both patients had foreign travel history. In the paper, the number of total affected cases and total deaths...
-
How do sterols determine the antufungal activitiy of amphotericin B? Free energy of binding between the drug and its membrane targets.
PublicationAmphotericin B (AmB) is a well-known polyene antibiotic used to treat systemic fungal infections. It is commonly accepted that the presence of sterols in the membrane is essential for the AmB biological activity, that is, for the formation of transmembrane ion channels. The selective toxicity of AmB for fungal cells is attributed to the fact that it is more potent against fungal cell membranes containing ergosterol than against...
-
Microscopic and Spectroscopic Imaging and Thermal Analysis of Acrylates, Silicones and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in Adhesive Transdermal Patches
PublicationDermal or transdermal patches are increasingly becoming a noteworthy alternative ascarriers for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which makes their detailed physicochemical evaluation essential for pharmaceutical development. This paper demonstrates mid-infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy with complementary microscopic methods (SEM, optical and confocal Raman microscopy) and differential scanning calorimetry...
-
Review of the determination of modern used pesticides in water samples
PublicationThe increasingly widespread application of pesticides causes that larger amounts of them are entering the environment. Their presence in sources of drinking water, essential to life, is a particular danger. For these reasons it is important to monitor and analyse pesticide residues in the environment. The analysis of environmental samples for the presence of pesticides is very difficult. Firstly, the processes involved in sample...
-
Urban Food Self-Production in the Perspective of Social Learning Theory: Empowering Self-Sustainability
PublicationUrban food production is becoming an increasingly significant topic in the context of climate change and food security. Conducting research on this subject is becoming an essential element of urban development, deepening knowledge regarding the benefits, challenges, and potential for the development of urban agriculture as an alternative form of food production. Responding to this need, this monograph presents the results of...
-
Assessment of particular abdominal aorta section extraction from contrast-enhanced computed tomography angiography
PublicationThe aim of this work is to improve the accuracy of extraction of a particular abdominal aorta section and to reduce the distortion in three-dimensional Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) images. Imaging modality and quality plays crucial role in the medical diagnostic process, thus ensuring high quality of images is essential at every stage of acquisition and processing.Noise is defined as a disturbance of the image quality...
-
Torque capacity of multidisc wet clutch with reference to friction occurrence on its spline connections
PublicationIn this article developed mathematical model that includes friction occurrence on spline connections is presented. The work also contains results of experimental research on torque capacity of multidisc wet clutch. These results are expressed as a function of contact pressure for different number of friction surfaces. Due to increased interest in research concerning multidisc wet clutches it is essential to determine impact of...
-
Development of Technical Creativity Featuring Modified TRIZ-AM Inventive Principle to Support Design for Additive Manufacturing
Publicationhe design for additive manufacturing (DFAM) processing was introduced to fully utilise the design freedom provided by additive manufacturing (AM). Consequently, appropriate design methodologies have become essential for this technology. Recently, many studies have identified the importance of DFAM method utilisation to produce AM parts, and TRIZ is a strategy used to formalise design methodologies....
-
IgG Avidity Test as a Tool for Discrimination between Recent and Distant Toxoplasma gondii Infection—Current Status of Studies
PublicationToxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, is the causative agent of one of the most prevalent zoonoses worldwide. T. gondii infection is extremely important from a medical point of view, especially for pregnant women, newborns with congenital infections, and immunocompromised individuals. Thus, an accurate and proper diagnosis of this infection is essential. Among the available diagnostic tests, serology...
-
Sustainability objectives and collaboration lifecycle in cluster organizations
PublicationIn our paper, we combine two issues, collaboration in cluster organizations and sustainability, aiming to answer the question: Does complex governance structure of cluster organizations support members in formulating and reaching sustainability objectives? Based on four case studies of cluster organizations and a still novel abductive approach, we present the ways in which sustainability was executed in their functioning. Our study...
-
Annealing Rate as a Crucial Parameter Controlling the Photoelectrochemical Properties of AuCu Mosaic Core–Shell Nanoparticles
PublicationThermal processing is an essential step during the synthesis of various metal nanostructures and for tailoring their morphology, optical, and electrochemical properties. Herein, a profound impact of the annealing rate and time on photoactivity of gold–copper nanostructures by changes in the position and alignment of energy levels and surface states is reported. AuCu nanoparticles (NPs) are fabricated by sputtering of thin metal...
-
Recent Advancements in Cyclodextrin-Based Adsorbents for the Removal of Hazardous Pollutants from Waters
PublicationWater is an essential substance for the survival on Earth of all living organisms. However, population growth has disturbed the natural phenomenon of living, due to industrial growth to meet ever expanding demands, and, hence, an exponential increase in environmental pollution has been reported in the last few decades. Moreover, water pollution has drawn major attention for its adverse effects on human health and the ecosystem....
-
Effect of Ion and Binding Site on the Conformation of Chosen Glycosaminoglycans at the Albumin Surface
PublicationAlbumin is one of the major components of synovial fluid. Due to its negative surface charge, it plays an essential role in many physiological processes, including the ability to form molecular complexes. In addition, glycosaminoglycans such as hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate are crucial components of synovial fluid involved in the boundary lubrication regime. This study presents the influence of Na+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions...
-
Current Trends in Wick Structure Construction in Loop Heat Pipes Applications: A Review
PublicationThermal control systems have been introduced as an important part of electronic devices, enabling thermal management of their electronic components. Loop heat pipe (LHP) is a passive two-phase heat transfer device with significant potential for numerous applications, such as aerospace applications, high-power LEDs, and solar central receivers. Its advantages are high heat transfer capability, low thermal resistance, long-distance...
-
Nitric Oxide-Dependent Pathways as Critical Factors in the Consequences and Recovery after Brain Ischemic Hypoxia
PublicationBrain ischemia is one of the leading causes of disability and mortality worldwide. Nitric oxide (NO), a molecule that is involved in the regulation of proper blood flow, vasodilation, neuronal and glial activity constitutes the crucial factor that contributes to the development of pathological changes after stroke. One of the early consequences of a sudden interruption in the cerebral blood flow is the massive production of reactive...
-
The role of centrifugal partition chromatography in the removal of β-asarone from Acorus calamus essential oil
PublicationΒ-asarone is a phenylpropane derivative present in the rhizomes of Acorus calamus, that was proved to exhibit toxic effects in humans. Because of its presence the whole plant that is commonly used in traditional medicine for its sedative, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and other properties has limited application nowadays. In the study, qualitative and quantitative analysis of a collection of nine essential oil (EO) samples...
-
Fast EM-Driven Parameter Tuning of Microwave Circuits with Sparse Sensitivity Updates via Principal Directions
PublicationNumerical optimization has become more important than ever in the design of microwave components and systems, primarily as a consequence of increasing performance demands and growing complexity of the circuits. As the parameter tuning is more and more often executed using full-wave electromagnetic (EM) models, the CPU cost of the overall process tends to be excessive even for local optimization. Some ways of alleviating these issues...
-
A Tutorial on AGREEprep an Analytical Greenness Metric for Sample Preparation
PublicationSample preparation is a key step in the analytical procedure and a critical component for achieving analytical greenness. AGREEprep is the first metric intended for evaluating the environmental impact of sample preparation methods. The approach consists of ten steps of assessment that correspond to the ten principles of green sample preparation and uses a user-friendly open-source software to calculate and visualize the results....
-
Adjusting the Stiffness of Supports during Milling of a Large-Size Workpiece Using the Salp Swarm Algorithm
PublicationThis paper concerns the problem of vibration reduction during milling. For this purpose, it is proposed that the standard supports of the workpiece be replaced with adjustable stiffness supports. This affects the modal parameters of the whole system, i.e., object and its supports, which is essential from the point of view of the relative tool–workpiece vibrations. To reduce the vibration level during milling, it is necessary to...
-
Potential applications of by-products from the coffee industry in polymer technology – Current state and perspectives
PublicationCoffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, and its popularity is continuously growing, which can be expressed by almost doubling production over the last three decades. Cultivation, processing, roasting, and brewing coffee are known for many years. These processes generate significant amounts of by-products since coffee bean stands for around 50% of the coffee cherry. Therefore, considering the current pro-ecological...
-
Smart Asset Management for District Heating Systems in the Baltic Sea Region.
PublicationThe purpose of this review is to provide insight and a comparison of the current status of district heating (DH) systems for selected Baltic Sea countries (Denmark, Germany, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden), especially from viewpoints of application and solutions of novel smart asset management (SAM) approaches. Furthermore, this paper considers European projects ongoing from 2016, involving participants from the...
-
Generation and Propagation of Nonlinear Waves in a Towing Tank
PublicationThe paper presents the results of the research focused on linear and nonlinear wave generation and propagation in a deepwater towing tank equipped with a single flap-type wavemaker of variable draft. The problem of wave generation and propagation has been theoretically formulated and solved by applying an analytical method; linear and nonlinear solutions were obtained. The linear solution has been verified experimentally. The...
-
THE APPLICATION OF PHENOMENOLOGICAL METHODOLOGY FOR DESIGNING PILE FOUNDATION IN PORT STRUCTURES
PublicationIt is of utmost importance in the design process that a suitable, safe and concurrently economic solution be chosen. Issues connected with foundations require adopting a special approach. Soil is a composite medium, and it is essential to describe as precisely as possible the interaction taking place between the subgrade and the structure. There are many design methods of pile foundation that are based on in-situ test of soils....
-
The potential of LC–MS technique in direct analysis of perfume content
PublicationPerfumes are products that consist of a wide range of natural and synthetic compounds. Due to complex composition, the determination of their ingredients is a difficult task. Most of the perfume components are either volatile or semi-volatile; however, most of the attention has been paid to volatile ones, and thus, gas chromatography or electronic noses are generally used. Nevertheless, in this study, liquid chromatography coupled...
-
Diagonalized Macromodels in Finite Element Method for Fast Electromagnetic Analysis of Waveguide Components
PublicationA new technique of local model-order reduction (MOR) in 3-D finite element method (FEM) for frequency-domain electromagnetic analysis of waveguide components is proposed in this paper. It resolves the problem of increasing solution time of the reduced-order system assembled from macromodels created in the subdomains, into which an analyzed structure is partitioned. This problem becomes particularly relevant for growing size and...
-
Variable-fidelity response feature surrogates for accelerated statistical analysis and yield estimation of compact microwave components
PublicationAccounting for manufacturing tolerances is an essential part of a reliable microwave design process. Yet, quantification of geometry and/or material parameter uncertainties is challenging at the level of full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulation models. This is due to inherently high cost of EM analysis and massive simulations necessary to conduct the statistical analysis. Here, a low-cost and accurate yield estimation procedure...
-
Nanostructured biocatalysis for biotechnological applications
PublicationThe purpose immobilization process is to enhance the performance of an enzyme for commercial processes. A large number of structures have been reported in the literature to boost the effectiveness of immobilized enzymes. The nanomaterials have the optimal properties for equilibrating key parameters that govern the performance of biocatalysts, such as high enzyme loading ability, specific surface area, and mass transfer resistance....
-
Sources of inspiration in designing ecological buildings. If not Pinterest than what?
PublicationEfficiency of ecological measures for sustainable architecture depends greatly upon the moment in which it is defined as essential, and how early it can be applied during the design concept stage. The following article refers to inspiration, the initial stage of the design and means to combine it with substantial knowledge regarding ecological architecture. Means, such as computer programs...
-
Sensitive determination of isoprostanes in exhaled breath condensate samples with use of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry
PublicationOxidative stress is the hallmark of various inflammatory lung diseases. Increased concentrations of reactive oxygen species in the lungs are reflected by elevated concentrations of oxidative stress markers in the breath, airways, lung tissue and blood. The aim of this work was to develop a method for the fast measurement of F2 isoprostanes in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) samples using equipment which is nowadays available and...
-
Mitigating metal-organic framework (MOF) toxicity for biomedical applications
PublicationMetal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a novel class of crystalline porous materials, consisting of metal ions and organic linkers. These hybrid materials are highly porous and have a large specific surface area, making them of great interest for applications in gas separation, energy storage, biomedical imaging, and drug delivery. As MOFs are being explored for biomedical applications, it is essential to comprehensively assess their...
-
Injectable poloxamer/graphene oxide hydrogels with well‐controlled mechanical and rheological properties
PublicationAlthough significant progress has been made in the design and application of injectable hydrogels for biomedical applications, concurrent control of rheological and mechanical properties of injectable hydrogels has remained as an open challenge to the researchers. In this work, we introduce and put into practice a photo‐curable poloxamer (also known as Pluronic)/graphene oxide (Plu/GO) injectable hydrogel with well‐controlled rheological...