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Search results for: bacteriophage therapy
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Essential oils as potential anti-staphylococcal agents
PublicationAntibiotic therapy of staphylococcal mastitis is characterized by significantly lower cure rates compared to infections caused by other microorganisms. Thus, it is necessary to search for new, alternative, non-antibiotic agents that are effective in the eradication of these bacteria. The aim of our research was to investigate the antimicrobial, especially anti-staphylococcal potential of a large collection (n=36) of essential oils...
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Ongoing progress on novel nanocomposite membranes for the separation of heavy metals from contaminated water
PublicationMembranes, as the primary separation element of membrane-based processes, have greatly attracted the attention of researchers in several water treatment applications, including wastewater treatment, water purification, water disinfection, toxic and non-toxic chemical molecules, heavy metals, among others. Today, the removal of heavy metals from water has become challenging, in which chemical engineers are approaching new materials...
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Human System Interaction in Review: Advancing the Artificial Intelligence Transformation
PublicationThe industrial advancement of human society has been fundamentally driven by diverse ‘systems’ that facilitate ‘human interaction’ within physical, digital, virtual, social and artificial environments, and upon the hyper-connected layers of system-system interactions across these environments. The research and practice of Human System Interaction (HSI) has undergone exponential development due to the enhanced capabilities, increased...
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Fully Tunable Analog Biquadratic Filter for Low-Power Auditory Signal Processing in CMOS Technologies
PublicationA novel Gm-C structure of a second-order continuous-time filter is proposed that allows for the independent control of the filter’s natural frequency (ω0) and quality factor (Q). The structure consists of two capacitors and four transconductors. Two transconductors together with the capacitors form a lossless second-order circuit with tunable ω0. The other two transconductors form a variable gain amplifier (VGA) which realizes...
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Geotechnical Analysis and Stability Assessment of a Landslide Event in Gera Woreda, Ethiopia
PublicationThis study investigates the geotechnical factors influencing a recent landslide event in Gera Woreda, Ethiopia. The primary objective was to identify the soil properties contributing to landslide occurrence and understand the triggering mechanisms. Field investigations, soil sampling from both affected and unaffected areas, and subsequent laboratory characterization were conducted. The analysis revealed a dominance of fine-grained...
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Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): Sediments and Water Analysis
PublicationUnfavorable side effects of different forms of anthropogenic activities can be found anywhere in the world. One of the basic characteristics of pollutants entering marine and ocean waters is their spread and movement in the global ocean. A portion of the substances entering the marine environment is rapidly degraded by chemical processes occurring in the air, sediments, and water, thereby losing their toxic properties. The biggest...
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Rola inwestycji w strategii rozwoju przedsiębiorczości
PublicationArtykuł analizuje rolę inwestycji w pryzmacie strategii rozwoju przedsiębiorstwa. Na wstępie zostały wyjaśnione znaczenia terminów kluczowych dla problematyki niniejszego artykułu. Na uwagę zasługuje sposób, w jaki przedsiębiorcy postrzegają przedsiębiorczość oraz ukazanie różnicy pomiędzy pojęciami - rozwój przedsiębiorstwa a strategia przedsiębiorstwa. Połączenie wymienionych terminów funkcjonuje pod nazwą zarządzania strategicznego....
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Biomass-Derived Nitrogen Functionalized Carbon Nanodots and Their Anti-Biofouling Properties
PublicationThe prevalence of the antibiotic resistant bacteria remains a global issue. Cheap, sustainable and multifunctional antibacterial membranes are at the forefront of filtrating materials capable of treating multiple flow streams, such as water cleansing treatments. Carbon nanomaterials are particularly interesting objects shown to enhance antibacterial properties of composite materials. In this article, amino-functionalized, photoluminescent...
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Two-step mechanism of J-domain action in driving Hsp70 function
PublicationJ-domain proteins (JDPs), obligatory Hsp70 cochaperones, play critical roles in protein homeostasis. They promote key allosteric transitions that stabilize Hsp70 interaction with substrate polypeptides upon hydrolysis of its bound ATP. Although a recent crystal structure revealed the physical mode of interaction between a J-domain and an Hsp70, the structural and dynamic consequences of J-domain action once bound and how Hsp70s...
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Mechanical and structural investigations of wings of selected insect species
PublicationThis paper presents research and measurements leading to obtaining the Young’s modulus of wing bearing structures of selected insect species. A small testing machine intended for three-point bending and equipped with instruments registering low forces was constructed for the needs of the experiment. The machine was used to perform numerous bending tests of wings of three species of insects (obtained from a breeding farm): Attacus...
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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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Analytical approach for membrane action in laterally-restrained reinforced concrete square slabs under uniformly distributed loads
PublicationLaterally-restrained reinforced concrete slabs can mobilise compressive membrane action and subsequent tensile membrane action under extreme loading conditions, thereby enhancing the load resistance under uniformly distributed loads. Previous analytical study focuses primarily on tensile membrane action in simply-supported slabs. This paper describes an analytical approach for membrane action in laterally-restrained square slabs....
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Multicriteria Optimization Approach to Design and Operation of District Heating Supply System over its Life Cycle
PublicationDistrict Heating (DH) systems are commonly supplied using local heat sources. Nowadays, modern insulation materials allow for effective and economically viable heat transportation over long distances (over 20 km). In the paper a method for optimized selection of design and operating parameters of long distance Heat Transportation System (HTS) is proposed. The method allows for evaluation of feasibility and effectivity of heat transportation...
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Analysis of friction ridge evidence for trace amounts of paracetamol in various pharmaceutical industries by Raman spectroscopy
PublicationThe detection of potentially harmful substances presents a multifaceted challenge. On one hand, it can directly save lives, on the other, it can significantly aid and enhance police work, thereby increasing the effectiveness of investigations. The research conducted in this study primarily aims to identify paracetamol in fingerprints, considering situations involving direct contact of a person with paracetamol either chronically...
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Naturally-derived hydrogels for 3D pancreatic tumor models: A short review
PublicationStatistics suggest a high proportion of mortality rate by pancreatic cancer, which is a solid tumor characterized by high heterogeneity and the presence of a complex extracellular matrix. The very low effectiveness of pancreatic cancer treatment roots in the high metastatic potential and drug resistance of this tumor. Therefore, the quest for efficient cellular models enabling precise mimicking in vivo conditions, and anticancer...
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Thermal degradation of polylactic acid (PLA)/polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) blends: A systematic review
PublicationPolylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) are two biopolyesters obtained from renewable resources like corn or sugar under bacterial fermentation. PLA is the most widely used biopolymer in diverse applications. Addition of PHB to PLA can improves the crystallinity of PLA, and thereby its mechanical strength. However, both PLA and PHB suffer from poor thermal stability, which limits their potential industrial application....
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New Transparent Flame-Retardant (FR) Coatings Based on Epoxy-Aluminum Hypophosphite Nanocomposites
PublicationThe present study investigated the flame-retardant (FR) effect of transparent epoxy coating containing aluminum hypophosphite (AHP) nanoparticles (NPs) on polylactic acid (PLA) sheets used as a typical model of combustible polymeric material. First, AHP NPs (≤60 nm) were prepared by a specific two-stage wet milling process and deeply analyzed (morphology, thermal/mechanisms of degradation under nitrogen and air). The thermal properties...
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Material Design and Optimisation of Electrochemical Li-Ion Storage Properties of Ternary Silicon Oxycarbide/Graphite/Tin Nanocomposites
PublicationIn this work, we present the characterization and electrochemical performance of various ternary silicon oxycarbide/graphite/tin (SiOC/C/Sn) nanocomposites as anodes for lithium-ion batteries. In binary SiOC/Sn composites, tin nanoparticles may be produced in situ via carbothermal reduction of SnO2 to metallic Sn, which consumes free carbon from the SiOC ceramic phase, thereby limiting the carbon content in the final ceramic nanocomposite....
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Reliable computationally-efficient behavioral modeling of microwave passives using deep learning surrogates in confined domains
PublicationThe importance of surrogate modeling techniques has been steadily growing over the recent years in high-frequency electronics, including microwave engineering. Fast metamodels are employed to speedup design processes, especially those conducted at the level of full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulations. The surrogates enable massive system evaluations at nearly EM accuracy and negligible costs, which is invaluable in parameter...
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Graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets decorated with HAp@Bi2S3 core–shell nanorods: Dual S-scheme 1D/2D heterojunction for environmental and hydrogen production solutions
PublicationBy combining different semiconductors, scientists have developed innovative materials capable of converting solar energy into useful forms of energy or driving chemical reactions that clean up pollutants. These materials offer a promising path to combat global environmental and energy challenges. In this study, HAp@Bi2S3 core–shell structures were synthesized using a facile microemulsion technique, and then loaded onto graphitic...
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Issues relating to the efficient Application of passive solar protection in multi-family residential buildings
PublicationThe following article is intended to discuss the issues concerning the introduction of passive measures aimed at improving solar protection in multi-family buildings. A system of classifying these methods into two groups of solutions (architectural and material-building) was applied. The first group includes issues concerning facade design, the spatial features of which (such as loggias, balconies and other overhangs) can be treated...
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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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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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Molecular basis of essentiality of early critical steps in the lipopolysaccharide biogenesis in Escherichia coli K-12: requirement of MsbA, cardiolipin, LpxL, LpxM and GcvB
PublicationTo identify the physiological factors that limit the growth of Escherichia coli K-12 strains synthesizing minimal lipopolysaccharide (LPS), we describe the first construction of strains devoid of the entire waa locus and concomitantly lacking all three acyltransferases (LpxL/LpxM/LpxP), synthesizing minimal lipid IVA derivatives with a restricted ability to grow at around 21 °C. Suppressors restoring growth up to 37 °C of Δ(gmhD-waaA)...
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Fault diagnosis of marine 4-stroke diesel engines using a one-vs-one extreme learning ensemble
PublicationThis paper proposes a novel approach for intelligent fault diagnosis for stroke Diesel marine engines, which are commonly used in on-road and marine transportation. The safety and reliability of a ship's work rely strongly on the performance of such an engine; therefore, early detection of any type of failure that affects the engine is of crucial importance. Automatic diagnostic systems are of special importance because they can...
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Decision support system for design of long distance heat transportation system
PublicationDistrict Heating (DH) systems are commonly supplied using local heat sources. Nowadays, modern insulation materials allow for effective and economically viable heat transportation over long distances (over 20 km). The paper proposes a Decision Support System (DSS) for optimized selection of design and operating parameters of a long distance Heat Transportation System (HTS). The method allows for evaluation of feasibility and effectiveness...
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The effect of imidazolium ionic liquid on the morphology of Pt nanoparticles deposited on the surface of SrTiO3 and photoactivity of Pt–SrTiO3 composite in the H2 generation reaction
PublicationPhotocatalytic water splitting has great potential in solar-hydrogen production as a low-cost and environmentally friendly method. Different unique techniques used to obtain photocatalysts with various modifications to improve H2 generation have been introduced. In the present work, SrTiO3 was successfully synthesized via the solvothermal method in the presence of ionic liquid (IL) - 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([BMIM][Br])...
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Performance of a new commercial high-definition 3D patient specific quality assurance system for CyberKnife robotic radiotherapy and radiosurgery
PublicationConventional two dimensional and low-definition measurement techniques for dosimetric verification of radiotherapy treatment deliveries are no longer adequate in the era of hypofractionation and extremely high dose gradients. New quality assurance (QA) tools with 3D capability and high definition are urgently needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of one of the first such commercial systems as applied...
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Antitumor 1-nitroacridine derivative C-1748 induces significant apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells.
PublicationPancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death and has the lowest survival rate of any solid cancer in the industrial countries. The poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer results from its tendency for late presentation, aggressive invasion, early metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy. Gemcitabine still remains the best chemotherapeutic agent available for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. However, gemcitabine...
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Photocatalytic activity of zinc oxide nanorods incorporated graphitic carbon nitride catalyst
PublicationBackground Photocatalysts are user-friendly and serve as compatible materials for degrading industrial dye pollutants. This study utilizes zinc oxide/graphitic carbon nitride (ZnO/g-C3N4) nanocomposites against degrading methylene blue (MB). Methods The hydrothermal method assisted sonication technique was used to fabricate the ZnO/g-C3N4 composite with varying ratios of ZnO/g-C3N4 (1:0.25, 1:0.50, 1:1). The synthesized materials...
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Exploring the Beam Squint Effects on Reflectarray Perfromance: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Specular and Scattered Reflection of the Unit Cell
PublicationIn this article, the phenomena of beam deviation in reflectarray is discussed. The radiation pattern of the unit cell, which plays a vital role in shaping the beam of the reflectarray, is analyzed by considering undesired specular and scattered reflections. These unwanted reflections adversely affect the pattern of the single unit cell, thereby reducing the overall performance of the reflectarray. To conduct our investigations,...
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High Signal Resolution Pulse Oximetry as a Prognostic Indicator of Radiotherapy Toxicity: A Pilot Study
PublicationIntroduction: Radiotherapy plays a prominent role in the multidisciplinary treatment of cancers. Despite new irradiation techniques, radiation-induced cardiotoxicity remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, prognostic indicators of radiotherapy toxicity are essential. This study aimed to investigate the influence of applied radiotherapy on the pulse wave recording and thereby on...
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Knowledge-Based Expedited Parameter Tuning of Microwave Passives by Means of Design Requirement Management and Variable-Resolution EM Simulations
PublicationThe importance of numerical optimization techniques has been continually growing in the design of microwave components over the recent years. Although reasonable initial designs can be obtained using circuit theory tools, precise parameter tuning is still necessary to account for effects such as electromagnetic (EM) cross coupling or radiation losses. EM-driven design closure is most often realized using gradient-based procedures,...
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Tolerance-Aware Optimization of Microwave Circuits by Means of Principal Directions and Domain-Restricted Metamodels
PublicationPractical microwave design is most often carried out in the nominal sense. Yet, in some cases, performance degradation due to uncertainties may lead to the system failing to meet the prescribed specifications. Reliable uncertainty quantification (UQ) is therefore important yet intricate from numerical standpoint, especially when the circuit at hand is to be evaluated using electromagnetic (EM) simulation tools. Tolerance-aware...
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Low-Cost and Highly-Accurate Behavioral Modeling of Antenna Structures by Means of Knowledge-Based Domain-Constrained Deep Learning Surrogates
PublicationThe awareness and practical benefits of behavioral modeling methods have been steadily growing in the antenna engineering community over the last decade or so. Undoubtedly, the most important advantage thereof is a possibility of a dramatic reduction of computational expenses associated with computer-aided design procedures, especially those relying on full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulations. In particular, the employment of...
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Magnetic field mapping along a NV-rich nanodiamond-doped fiber
PublicationIntegration of NV−-rich diamond with optical fibers enables guiding quantum information on the spin state of the NV− color center. Diamond-functionalized optical fiber sensors have been demonstrated with impressive sub-nanotesla magnetic field sensitivities over localized magnetic field sources, but their potential for distributed sensing remains unexplored. The volumetric incorporation of diamonds into the optical fiber core allows...
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Anisotropic optical properties of few-layer black phosphorus coatings: from fundamental insights to opto-electrochemical sensor design
PublicationFew-layer black phosphorus (FLBP) is characterised by a tuneable bandgap, high carrier mobility and anisotropic optical properties. It therefore has the potential to find applications in electronics and photonics. FLBP oxidizes upon exposure to air, limiting its utility in devices and components. To address this issue, the thesis introduces methods and tools developed for studying FLBP's optical parameters, with a particular emphasis...
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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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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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Two-phase optimizing approach to design assessments of long distance heat transportation for CHP systems
PublicationCogeneration or Combined Heat and Power (CHP) for power plants is a method of putting to use waste heat which would be otherwise released to the environment. This allows the increase in thermodynamic efficiency of the plant and can be a source of environmental friendly heat for District Heating (DH). In the paper CHP for Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is analyzed with the focus on heat transportation. A method for effectivity and feasibility...
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Establishing the allosteric mechanism in CRISPR‐Cas9
PublicationAllostery is a fundamental property of proteins, which regulates biochemical information transfer between spatially distant sites. Here, we report on the critical role of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in discovering the mechanism of allosteric communication within CRISPR‐Cas9, a leading genome editing machinery with enormous promises for medicine and biotechnology. MD revealed how allostery intervenes during at least three...
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Low-Cost Modeling of Microwave Components by Means of Two-Stage Inverse/Forward Surrogates and Domain Confinement
PublicationFull-wave electromagnetic (EM) analysis is one of the most important tools in the design of modern microwave components and systems. EM simulation permits reliable evaluation of circuits at the presence of cross-coupling effects or substrate anisotropy, as well as for accounting for interactions with the immediate environment. However, repetitive analyses required by EM-driven procedures, such as parametric optimization or statistical...
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NADPH Oxidase Gene Polymorphism is Associated with Mortality and Cardiovascular Events in 7-Year Follow-Up
PublicationThe CYBA gene encodes the regulatory subunit of NADPH oxidase, which maintains the redox state within cells and in the blood vessels. That led us to investigate the course of coronary artery disease (CAD) with regards to CYBA polymorphisms. Thus, we recruited 1197 subjects with coronary atherosclerosis and observed them during 7-year follow-up. Three CYBA polymorphisms: c.214C>T (rs4673), c.-932G>A (rs9932581), and c.*24G>A (1049255)...
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Mechanical properties of two-stage concrete modified by silica fume
PublicationAbstract. Two-stage concretes, despite the fact that they have proven themselves in various types of construction, have not been studied to the same extent as traditional heavy concretes. Therefore, the article developed the composition of frame concrete with various additives in the composition of the cement-sand mortar. A comparison of the mechanical characteristics of the developed compositions with the addition of silica fume...
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From ashes to porous hierarchical nanocarbon electrode: Upcycling secondary waste materials through self-catalytic chemical vapour deposition
PublicationMetal and metal oxide particles are abundant in various ash-based wastes. Utilizing these as catalyst sources for the fabrication of carbon nanomaterials could present a valuable approach to reduce our reliance on non-renewable and costly catalyst sources, thereby facilitating large-scale nanomaterial production. In this context, secondary waste materials (SWMs) are by-products resulting from the (complete or partial) combustion...
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Intellectual brain drain and economic growth in developing countries: A theoretical solution of strategic compensation
PublicationBrain drain is a real problem for the developing countries like Pakistan. It not only impacts theworkforce, but its effect eventually translates to economic growth as well. The most severe form of braindrain is intellectual as top tier skilled employees’ move out of the country. This study explores the issue ofintellectual brain drain in Pakistan moreover analyzes its severity to the economic growth. Finally,...
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Whither the need and motivation for open government data (OGD) promotional strategies?
PublicationPurpose It has been underscored in the extant literature that open government data (OGD) has not percolated across the length and breadth of any country, let alone the awareness of the OGD among the stakeholders themselves. In this vein, this study aims to underline the reasons as to why OGD promotion merits consideration apart from underlining the manner in which OGD promotion may be done. Design/methodology/approach Based on...
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Prediction of maximum tensile stress in plain-weave composite laminates with interacting holes via stacked machine learning algorithms: A comparative study
PublicationPlain weave composite is a long-lasting type of fabric composite that is stable enough when being handled. Open-hole composites have been widely used in industry, though they have weak structural performance and complex design processes. An extensive number of material/geometry parameters have been utilized for designing these composites, thereby an efficient computational tool is essential for that purpose. Different Machine Learning...
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Integrating conventional nitrogen removal with anammox in wastewater treatment systems: Microbial metabolism, sustainability and challenges
PublicationThe various forms of nitrogen (N), including ammonium (NH4+), nitrite (NO2−), and nitrate (NO3−), present in wastewaters can create critical biotic stress and can lead to hazardous phenomena that cause imbalances in biological diversity. Thus, biological nitrogen removal (BNR) from wastewaters is considered to be imperatively urgent. Therefore, anammox-based systems, i.e. partial nitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (PN/anammox)...
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Sustainable nitrogen removal in anammox-mediated systems: Microbial metabolic pathways, operational conditions and mathematical modelling
PublicationAnammox-mediated systems have attracted considerable attention as alternative cost-effective technologies for sustainable nitrogen (N) removal from wastewater. This review comprehensively highlights the importance of understanding microbial metabolism in anammox-mediated systems under crucial operation parameters, indicating the potentially wide applications for the sustainable treatment of N-containing wastewater. The partial...